Don’t worry about it. Focus on Jesus.
I hate to talk about my personal life on such a public forum as this, but God has been using my wiser, more mature boyfriend to teach me a great deal lately and I’m compelled to share the knowledge. I say “wiser” and “more mature” because, quite frankly, he is. My boyfriend (Ben) has spend more time in the Word, listening to what God has to say, and has spent more years walking closely with the Father, obeying His commands, than me. For that, I am incredibly grateful.
I’ve always known that I was a worrier. Friends and family would regularly tell me so, but I passed it off as a mere comment on my personality. Victoria worries, just like Victoria wears glasses and hates cats. Recently, I’ve been strongly convicted that my worry is not merely a personality trait. It is a sin. Yes, a blatant, certain, full-on sin. I worry about the past. About the future. About my schoolwork. About my job. I worry about how others perceive me. I worry about who I am. I worry about what I will be. I worry whether or not I’m good enough. Whether or not I’m doing things right. I worry when I get things wrong. I play and replay events in my mind, worrying about them. I even worry over things I should completely trust like my relationship with Ben and, more importantly, my relationship with the LORD.
Though the Bible doesn’t have explicit directions about many of our day to day activities (Do I wear pants or a skirt? Do I go to this college or that college? Do I take this job or that job?), it does have explicit direction about worrying. Jesus says don’t do it! “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 will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 ESV)
After all, what have we to worry over? Christian, you serve a GOD who has magnificently conquered sin and death. Who has provided salvation through his son, Jesus, and loves you enough to freely offer it. We were sinners, saved by grace, made saints. Ephesians 1:18-19 says we are to have, “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe.” I didn’t read anything in that passage, or countless others like it, about biting our nails over the future. We are children of God, our future seems pretty secure.
See? We have no reason to lose sleep. Not about the past, because it’s already happened, it’s over, and done with. Not even the future, because we have amazing promises and assurances from Christ.
For those of us who struggle with the sin of over-analyzing, obsessive-compulsive, spirit-draining, emotionally-wrecked worry, seek the comfort you grasp in the arms of Jesus. There is no magic formula to apply or special prayer to pray. Run to our Father who loves us and has no desire to see His children uncertain about their futures. Our Daddy’s got it under control. He IS the control. See? Nothing to worry about.
Like my boyfriend reminds me, “Don’t worry about it. Focus on Jesus.”
Beautiful reminder, and just what I needed to hear. Thank you SO MUCH Victoria. God truly is using your words.
~kara