Over my years of ministry, I have heard many people complain about the fact that worry has taken over their lives. They also say that their faith actually makes it worse, simply because they feel tremendous guilt over the fact that they worry even though they believe in Jesus and the salvation he brings. When I hear their complaints, I assure them that they aren’t alone! I know, from personal experience, that worry is one of those things that can cause tremendous preoccupation and loss of sleep!
Many years ago, I got a really scary health diagnosis, my husband had lost his job, my father had died, and more. In short, life was a mess! I stressed over whether I’d be able to raise my daughters, to the point of chest pains. A day, or two, after a late night emergency room visit, I read the following verses in my bible: “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? …. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6:27, 34). I knew that the Spirit was talking to me, but I wondered what to do.
What I found, was that is was as easy as asking myself what the worst case scenario could be. In taking that case, and breaking it down into its separate parts, I found that I might not like what could possibly happen, but I could see that there would be “work arounds” or changes that could be managed. This “worst case” might bring lousy things to face, but life could, and would, move on in a different way. The biggest game-changer, however, was the idea of living in the present day. I began to say to myself, “I can’t change the past, and I can’t predict the future. The only thing that I can do is to see if there is something that I can do (about this situation) RIGHT NOW.” Repeating these words to myself on a regular basis made them part of my thought process. I was able to find doable tasks for some of the situations, which made me feel proactive and less like a victim of my circumstances. When there wasn’t anything to do, I said the following prayer:
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.
Most of us are familiar with the first words of the Serenity Prayer, but not the end. When read in its entirety, The Serenity Prayer is far more meaningful than the shortened version. I hope that it can bring you comfort, and freedom from worry. Remember, as Jesus said, “Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?” (Matthew 6:26). The answer is, “Yes!”