Thursday, March 26, 2015

Worry



“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,  Matthew 6:25-28

Remember the above guy?  He was from a series of children's books called, Mr. Men   In the book, he worries about his roof leaking if it rains...and his flowers dying if it doesn't rain...and when someone takes his worry away...he worries that there is nothing to worry about.  We live in a world where there is a constant undercurrent of worry...or fear...and constant anxiety.  So, just having someone, even Jesus say, "Don't worry."  May not cut it for us.  We may still worry.  After all, there are bills to pay and books to read and children to raise...along with concerns for the earth, economy, and don't get me started if the worldwide shortage of chocolate actually happens!  Choco-geddon would be upon us.  Worry is sort of what we do...we are good at it.

And no, it does not add a single hour to our life...we know it takes hours and precious minutes away.  So, how might we approach worry?
First I think we need to acknowledge that it s normal and natural...probably would be abnormal if we didn't worry occasionally about somethings.  
Second, is there a way we can invite or listen for God's wisdom on that issue? 

If I am worried about a sermon or something at church is there someone else, along with God, I can turn to and listen to?  I think often worry and fear isolate us.  We feel lonely, like no one understands.  So, if we can invite others and listen for God in stillness that is good.

Third, stillness!  That is one way to face worry head on.  Sit in quite and just be.  So often worry activates that part of our brain to stay in perpetual motion...as if we can outrun worry.  So, slow down.  Usually the worries are still there after a few minutes.

Finally, look to creation.  It is good to remember we came from dust and to dust we shall return.  We say that not as some depressing fact, but that we are made of divine DNA that makes up everything seen and unseen.

To be sure, those four steps may not alleviate worry forever...but it may just remind us that God is God and we are not...which is a good starting place for all of us.

Blessings and peace ~

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