The Bane of Fretting

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness4 be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:4-8 ESV).

 

Today I want us to look at the problem of worry, or as I have titled the devotional, “The Bane of Fretting.” When I was younger, I don’t remember worrying about anything. In fact, I think I lived a relatively carefree childhood. About the only thing that might have been a concern for me was whether I could sneak away early enough to get across town to Grandma’s house in time for whatever she was cooking that day. My favorite was always her eggplant parmesan with homemade pasta and meat sauce. Since she lived on the other side of Galveston, that was always frowned upon by my folks. However, the food was always worth the risk.

 

As I have aged, it has become harder to avoid worrying about the "what if?" thoughts. I call it “running my lists.” I fret over the things I need to get done and the order in which I need to do them. I know this is exacerbated by my obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sometimes Mary needs to remind me that I’m running my lists with a gentle call back to reality. I do have a process that redirects my focus away from fretting, but sometimes I need to be reminded to use it.

 

Worry can easily become a burden that weighs us down, affecting our health, relationships, and well-being. It can steal our joy and keep us from fully experiencing the present. When we present our worries to God, we acknowledge that he is in control and that we trust him with our lives. This act of surrender allows us to experience his peace, which goes beyond human understanding. God’s peace guards our hearts and minds, protecting us from the harmful effects of anxiety. Letting go of worry is not always easy. It requires a conscious effort to shift our focus from our problems to God’s promises. It means choosing to trust that God is bigger than any situation we face. From my experiences I can say that every time I have chosen to trust God instead of worrying, he has provided for me in ways I did not imagine. Give it a try and get rid of your anxiety!