worried...

I had a hard time getting to sleep on the night of November 4th...

Spiritual, emotional, and (of course) political thoughts and fears floated about in my mind as I tried to fall asleep. It wasn't that I was overly scared of the future, really. I simply could not get the thoughts to go away. I'm not an avid worrier but the truth is that I was worrying.

Someone once told me that worry is just disbelief in disguise. The act of worrying communicates to the Father that I don't believe that He is capable of handling my situation. Or maybe that He won't come through for me in THIS situation.

Confession is good for the soul...so, in order that you can pray for me, here are some areas where I could tend to worry:

• How will the country's current financial and moral situation affect my children?
  
• What decisions will my kids make that they will have to carry the rest of their lives?
  
• What do I need to do or say to help them make right choices?
  
• How can we meet our family's financial needs with the economy in a downturn?
• What about our upcoming Costa Rica missions trip...will we receive the support we need for that too?
  
• There are so many blind "leaps of faith" in my life...is God faithful to catch me?
• We have so much to do to get ready for next summer (as always!). How will we get it all done?

So there...I've gotten some of them out in the open. I know that admitting the problem is the first step in dealing with the problem.

OK...now what do I do with these feelings of worry? It's not like I can just stop thinking about the things in life that concern me. I believe God is big enough for what I am facing... yet I still have nagging thoughts and concerns.

I'm not alone in this. Jerry Bridges relates in his book, 'Respectable Sins', "I find the words of the the father of a demon-possessed son encouraging: 'I believe; help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:24)." Just like this concerned father in Mark's gospel, I'm going to need Jesus' help in mastering my worry. (By the way, I recommend the chapter on Anxiety and Frustration in the book "Respectable Sins" on this subject!)

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

I Peter 5:6,7 NIV

Even though I can't totally get rid of my worries, I can choose to believe in the power of God (Faith) and actively cast them on Him. He cares about all the things that worry me. I must believe that this is true. And real belief doesn't just think about truth, it does something about it. I am commanded to cast my cares on Him because it's my tendency to rebelliously hold on to them as if I am more capable to deal with them than He is.

Choose with me to believe that He is faithful and will be sovereign in today's problems...and in those of tomorrow too!

~ jefe

"We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it."

~John Newton