Anxious About Nothing

Yesterday I posted this Facebook status:

” Scripture tells me to be anxious FOR nothing…yet I get anxious ABOUT nothing.

One word makes all the difference.”

It received a lot of response which reminded me, I’m not the only one.

Here’s a little more detail on how my mind started spinning in worry. Seems so silly now!

• While grocery shopping I got anxious about the bill adding up. I set a budget each week to hit and was going over…I call this…the trigger.
• I started worrying if I had enough food for the 2 Pampered Chef parties and 1 Lifegroup I had coming up this week. I just knew everyone was going to go hungry. But going back to my first point, I was anxious to spend more money.
• After putting away groceries I went to pick up Mr W at the library and got anxious my car was in everyone’s way.
• I got anxious I was forgetting something.
• I got anxious our car was going to get hit on our way home (still praying though this).
• I grew frustrated way too quickly with a printer malfunction okay not exactly anxiety but just proves little things were affecting me

As I described this scenario to Mr W…he worded it well. When one thing gets us anxious, it’s as if the floodgates have opened.

One moment of anxiety and I was covered in it. I couldn’t shake it. It was almost as if I was looking for things to be anxious about. I was convicted knowing that scripture tells us to be anxious for nothing.

I read and re-read Phillipians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

With time and prayer my heart rate slowed. Nothing seemed as serious as I once thought. I do believe worry is a choice, but I also believe the enemy will do anything he can to deceive us into choosing to worry. Finding a moment for God’s truth and remembering his provision in my own life and the lives of others helps me to chose trust…to be covered in peace instead of covered in worry.

Sheesh. What a constant decision. Like what to wear today and what to have for dinner. It’s a daily question…will I chose worry or will I chose trust? Ask me that question and I will respond {verbally} with the right answer! But this is a question deep inside my heart. One I don’t even realize it’s getting asked. The more I realize it’s getting asked, my prayer would be, that I will get better with my response.

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:1-3)

Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:3-5)

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (Matthew 6:26-28)

Scripture also says his strength is perfected in my weakness. I hope my story of weakness is a time when his strength can bring you encouragement. A reminder that you are not alone in this either and he is the one to give you rest.