What Should I Worry About?
It was early Monday morning... well, not super early. Around 9:30 I was getting ready to leave for work, and my mom was talking to me. She was telling me of some recent, unsettling events that had taken place in the next county over. In a conversational, but slightly worried tone she explained the disturbing state of the world. As she talked I realized that there are a lot of not so happy people in the world around me - even nearer than I might suspect. Just the day before I'd been looking around my backyard thinking how wonderful it was that I had a pocket of peace to live in. A place where no one with evil intentions could find me. Unless... well, maybe they could find me.
I've mentioned before my frustration with feeling like I can't make a difference in an increasingly scary world. But that isn't the direction the conversation went on Monday. Instead my mom commented on how she hoped she was righteous enough to be protected in times of danger. I was a little shocked by the worry I heard in her voice when she said that. It was as if she really wasn't sure she was on the right track and there was serious concern that she wouldn't be protected in times of danger. Even as I told her she was doing amazing and her choices were righteous, a little voice in my head started talking.
As I walked out the door to go to work, that voice asked, "Lord, what should I be worrying about?" It was a small prayer, one I was hoping would be answered with some direction about how I could change my daily actions to ensure the safety and protection of my family and friends amidst the craziness of the world in which I live. That's not quite what happened. Rather, I started laughing at myself. Even as I asked the question I recognized the stupidity of my inquiry.
For one moment I'd forgotten who I was talking to. The Lord. My Heavenly Father. God of Heaven and Earth. Redeemer. Creator. All Powerful. Divine Being. The one whose son spent His entire life speaking only of peace. Peace, not worry. Not once - in life, in death, in scripture - did the Lord ask His people to fear or worry. Nope! Instead He said, "Fear not. Peace be unto you."
Worry. Fear. Maybe there's a human tendency to focus on those emotions - to believe that worry is good. I realize that at times I use fear as a safety blanket. Somehow I think that worrying means I'm doing something. It makes me feel like I care and am trying to make a difference. How that works, I'm not sure. I just realize that I do it. Sometimes if things go wrong and I wasn't worried, I blame myself for not worrying enough. Because, if I'd worried, maybe, somehow, I could have changed the outcome - of something completely out of my control. But I'm beginning to think it doesn't work.
Obviously, if the Lord thought worry would help He would have told us to worry. If He thought it would make a difference, every page of scripture would be filled with messages to fear and tremble, worry and stress. But they're not. Instead He commands us to have faith, be at peace, and act with confidence.
So, what should I worry about? Apparently nothing. Provided I'm living my life in line with the truth and light of God. But! What if I'm not in line with God? I could worry about that! Except! That living in line with God means not worrying about whether or not I'm living in line with God. As I told my mom on Monday morning - if you think you're living God's way, if you're trying to live God's way, then you're doing it. And unless He tells you otherwise, just keep on living the way you are. He's going to tell you if you're getting off track. Until then, worry not!
I've mentioned before my frustration with feeling like I can't make a difference in an increasingly scary world. But that isn't the direction the conversation went on Monday. Instead my mom commented on how she hoped she was righteous enough to be protected in times of danger. I was a little shocked by the worry I heard in her voice when she said that. It was as if she really wasn't sure she was on the right track and there was serious concern that she wouldn't be protected in times of danger. Even as I told her she was doing amazing and her choices were righteous, a little voice in my head started talking.As I walked out the door to go to work, that voice asked, "Lord, what should I be worrying about?" It was a small prayer, one I was hoping would be answered with some direction about how I could change my daily actions to ensure the safety and protection of my family and friends amidst the craziness of the world in which I live. That's not quite what happened. Rather, I started laughing at myself. Even as I asked the question I recognized the stupidity of my inquiry.
For one moment I'd forgotten who I was talking to. The Lord. My Heavenly Father. God of Heaven and Earth. Redeemer. Creator. All Powerful. Divine Being. The one whose son spent His entire life speaking only of peace. Peace, not worry. Not once - in life, in death, in scripture - did the Lord ask His people to fear or worry. Nope! Instead He said, "Fear not. Peace be unto you."
Worry. Fear. Maybe there's a human tendency to focus on those emotions - to believe that worry is good. I realize that at times I use fear as a safety blanket. Somehow I think that worrying means I'm doing something. It makes me feel like I care and am trying to make a difference. How that works, I'm not sure. I just realize that I do it. Sometimes if things go wrong and I wasn't worried, I blame myself for not worrying enough. Because, if I'd worried, maybe, somehow, I could have changed the outcome - of something completely out of my control. But I'm beginning to think it doesn't work.Obviously, if the Lord thought worry would help He would have told us to worry. If He thought it would make a difference, every page of scripture would be filled with messages to fear and tremble, worry and stress. But they're not. Instead He commands us to have faith, be at peace, and act with confidence.
So, what should I worry about? Apparently nothing. Provided I'm living my life in line with the truth and light of God. But! What if I'm not in line with God? I could worry about that! Except! That living in line with God means not worrying about whether or not I'm living in line with God. As I told my mom on Monday morning - if you think you're living God's way, if you're trying to live God's way, then you're doing it. And unless He tells you otherwise, just keep on living the way you are. He's going to tell you if you're getting off track. Until then, worry not!
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