The Worm of Worry

Worry is such an easy thing to give into, especially if you are worried about important things...employment, paying the bills, care of your children or spouse.  Wait a second...Jesus said something about not worrying...

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?...Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will wear for clothing?' But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (read the whole passage: Matthew 6:25-34)

This is when I want to say to Jesus, "Uh, yeah...right! You're God and You've got everything that You need. I'm a lowly human and my husband might lose his job and then how will we provide for our basic needs and take care of our son and...(and on and on it goes)." Before I know it, I've pushed Christ out the picture and I'm convinced that my worry will save the day. That's when Jesus says to me, "Uh, yeah...right!"

Last year I (was an idiot) and worked myself into a frenzy over worrying about my husband's employment. His department was cut due to budget constraints and I frantically worried about what we would do. Did the worry help me? Not a bit! I was (as they say in the South) a HOT MESS and my anxiety was through the roof. During the last week of the school year he found out his department had been saved. It was hard to be happy because my worry had consumed me. It took a long time to shake it.

This year I've tried not to get into a frenzy and thus far I have been pretty successful. The district is going through a merger and the future is uncertain, but what is the point in worrying? I certainly didn't had an hour to my life with all the worrying I did last year, in fact, I probably decreased the length of my life. Worry is like a worm. The more it eats, the more it grows, and the more space it takes up in your heart.

The Worm of Worry

Imagine something like this eating it's way through your heart and it only gets bigger and bigger and bigger. There is less room in your heart for love or obedience to Christ or fun because your heart is being eaten by worry. YIKES!!!

If you have a worm of worry, pray that the worry be removed from your heart. Then (and this is very important), humbly ask that God fill that space with His concerns, what people or things does He want you to pray for: widows, orphans, end of abortions, civic leaders, etc. Isn't that replacing one worry for another? No, not if God is the one who puts these concerns in your heart. Then, your prayer will be guided by the Holy Spirit to pray for people or things that need prayer. And, that's way better than the Worm of Worry.