Spirit of Worry

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We all have things we struggle with, and for me, worrying is at the top of the list. I’m not sure exactly when I developed this habit but adulthood has been overwhelmed by anxiety, insomnia, and worry. Countless nights of tossing and turning have been an ongoing struggle for years. I’ve seen doctors and have taken medication, but the process of learning to give all my cares and worries to God, has been the hardest yet most effective cure for my problem.

I’m definitely not a doctor, but merely a woman who is learning to surrender all things to God, and in that I’ve found extreme peace. I’m still going through the process but with each day it becomes a little easier. The more time I spend with God, the more I understand that it isn’t my job to worry about the outcome of anything taking place in my life. I am learning to embrace that all things work together for God’s glory (Romans 8:28).

My God is an awesome God and the word reassures me that through Christ, there is always victory on the other side of uncertainty.  

This idea that we should cast our problems on God is no easy task for the average Christian. For someone who naturally worries about things, it becomes an even bigger challenge. If you’ve struggled with anxiety, then you understand the heightened difficulty in putting complete trust in God. It is a learned practice that requires faith, discipline, and prayer.

One of the many lessons I’ve learned while trying to tackle the spirit of worry is that the more you pray, the less you worry, because worrying and praying cannot coexist. And once we are done praying, it doesn’t make sense to have prayed about something only to then worry some more. Rather, praying and exercising our faith is a means to trusting that no matter what we are facing, we are not alone.

So what does this mean for those who struggle with worrying? It means that we can surely replace worry with peace and hope. It means that we can overcome those stressors that cause us to be anxious. It means that things can and will get better.

I think there is a natural tendency to only pray for those major things happening in our lives, but we indeed can pray about anything, no matter how small or big. We have to get to a point where we don’t make a fuss about trivial things. Even when we don’t understand where our lives are going, God does, and that should be enough. We have to get to a point where we learn to depend on the Holy Spirit, especially in those moments when our palms get sweaty, our hearts begin to race, and we feel the most defeated.

God is so much bigger than any problem we will ever face. He is our strength and refuge, always an ever-present help (Psalm 46:1). No matter what you are facing, give it to God. Start believing today that whatever you are facing has an intended purpose. Don’t allow life’s struggles to keep you from being present in this beautiful thing called life. When you begin to feel anxious, I encourage you to pray for peace at that very moment.

Worry and fear steals our joy. It literally can keep us from being present wherever we are in life because we are so focused on the worst-case scenario. Worrying will make us complicate a situation that is far less complicated. We were not created to live walking on eggshells. You were created to live a joyful life, one where we give our problems to Jesus. We can find peace in knowing that God is always with us, and just a prayer away.

Remember, He said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. I am learning daily that things out of my control are really in God’s hands. I am learning that day-to-day frustrations are not merely tests but an opportunity for God to reveal himself in new ways. God is with you and He will never leave you. Know that there is hope and peace when we seek Him in all things.