Breaking Up with Worry
Worry and I used to be very close companions. We spent a lot of time together and back then, I thought that was a normal way to live. But through the years, God has helped me end my relationship with worry. And He did it with the help of my husband, Dave.
Dave and I have been married for forty-six years now, and every time I have come to him with a problem, Dave has had only one thing to say: "Cast your care."
Believe me, it's not very appealing to hear those words from your spouse when you're feeling frustrated and upset, but it's exactly what the Bible tells us to do.
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First Peter 5:7 says to cast, "the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully" (AMP).
In the dictionary, the word cast means "to pitch or to throw." I think that description says a lot because if you're going to end your relationship with worry, then you're going to have to get aggressive about it.
For example, we don't have to accept every thought that comes into our head. We can be selective, casting out the wrong ones and helping the right ones take root. And I find that my whole outlook changes as I say simple prayers: "God, I believe You're working in my life, and I'm expecting something good to happen today."
I'm not saying we should ignore our problems, wishing they'd just go away. It's good for us to look at our problems squarely and honestly, but we can't let them keep us from adopting a hopeful, positive attitude that says, "I believe God is in control!"
There's a saying that goes, "Worry sees the problem. Faith sees the God who can handle the problem."
So I want to ask you this: Do your problems know where they stand in relationship to God in your life?
Get Your Eyes Glued on God
I love the story of Abraham, who at 100 years of age, believed God would give Him a son and make him the father of many nations.
When Abraham's wife, Sarah, learned about God's promise, she laughed, because it seemed utterly impossible to her. She was already beyond her childbearing years. And Abraham was no spring chicken. But he chose to look beyond his problem and believe God. I'm absolutely amazed by that!
The Bible says that God can do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond what we could ask for or think (see Ephesians 3:20). So no matter what our circumstances look like, we just need to keep our eyes on God.
Timing Is Everything, and Everything Takes Time
Typically when we have a problem, God will do one of two things. He'll either remove the problem or He'll give us the ability to get through our time of difficulty with a positive attitude.
I've found that as I've grown in my relationship with God, I've become more comfortable leaving that choice up to God. Because if He leads me through something I really don't want to go through, then I know for sure He has a purpose in mind.
As a child I experienced years of sexual and emotional abuse, which was absolutely tormenting. The amazing thing is, everything God has done in my life through that horrible situation – all of the healing and restoration – has prepared me to do what He's called me to do today. I didn't always understand why things were happening the way they did at the time, but I learned how to walk by faith and trust God's goodness even when my circumstances didn't make sense to me.
It's absolutely wonderful when we can feel completely comfortable not knowing the "why" behind what's happening in our lives.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths."
We don't always have to know what God is going to do or when He's going to do it. All we really need to know is that God has a plan and He is in control. We can rest in the truth that at the right time, God will execute His plan.
Trusting God Brings the Best Results
Maybe there's something happening in your life right now that you just don't understand, and it's causing you a lot of worry and frustration.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to just be able to say, "I don't understand this and it hurts right now, but I believe God is going to work it out"?
If you've already wasted a lot of your time with worry, I encourage you to break up that bad relationship. Instead of giving way to anxious emotions, you can do what God has urged me to do all these years: Cast your care.
In time, God's good plan will be revealed.
Romans 8:28 says, "We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose."
I believe that.
Not everything that happens is good. But it can work out for good for those who keep loving God and keep pursuing His will in their lives. There's nothing God can't turn around if you'll put your trust in Him!
