Worrying never beneficial

Of all the things you have ever worried about, tell me something good that came about a result of your worrying.

I don’t like to worry. It disturbs my peace. It makes me nervous. It makes me feel bad.

What is worry? I define it as “rehearsing calamity,” a meditating on the worse thing that can happen. It brings anxiety and makes every thing uneasy. It disturbs, harasses and annoys. How long could one feel this way and still have good health?

Worry causes a multitude of illnesses and disease. Instead of “cardiac thrombosis” written on a death certificate, many doctors could write “worry” as a cause of death.

The great French philosopher Montaigne said: “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.”

Many dwell in the past. Some can’t worry about today because they are worrying about tomorrow.

Worry is contagious. I have heard that a person’s pet develops the personality of its owner. What a terrible thing to give a pet!

So what are we going to about being a worry wart? I can think of several things:

z Count your blessings. Do you have two eyes that can see, two ears that can hear, two legs that can walk and two arms that can hug?

z Live one day at a time. An unknown author wrote: “Yesterday is a canceled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, but today is cash in hand.”

z Rethink your thinking. Break the habit of negative self talk and thoughts.

Reorganize your thinking pattern and think on “things that are pure, lovely, and good report” (Philippians 4:8).

z See worry as fear trying to conquer faith. Consider worrying a tormenting plague from the enemy.

z Believe God is big enough to take care of every part of your life. “Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Know God is on your side. He is never surprised. He knows all about you and he can be trusted: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverb 3:5). Victory comes through trust and faith, not fretting and being anxious!

Take the energy you use in worrying and replace it with overwhelming positive thoughts. See yourself with God’s help as successful, prosperous and victorious.

The greatest way to not worry is to ask Jesus to come in your heart, the hope of glory because He is:

A joy that last forever.

An eternal life that will never die.

A rest that can never be disrupted.

A righteousness that dwells in you.

A love that can never be taken away.

A peace that passes all understanding.

A glory that shines to infinity.

A wisdom that can never vanish.

A light that can never be put out.

A beauty that can never be disfigured.

A hope that never will be disappointed.

STOP THE WORRY WART!

Portales resident Joan Clayton is a retired teacher and published author. Her e-mail address is:

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