Don’t Worry; Be Happy - Martin Wiles

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down. Proverbs 12:25 AMP

Worry and anxiety are bedfellows that often show up together.

Kelita sat in her car gunning the engine but going nowhere. And there was good reason. The gearshift was in neutral. She burned fuel and fogged up the garage in which the car rested but remained in place.

Hearing the noise, her father finally came out of the door and asked, “What are you doing, honey?”

“Trying to get to work,” she huffed.

“But you have to put the gearshift in drive to make the car move,” he said.

Seems like a silly scenario—and it is, but often I repeat Kelita’s mistake by worrying. Worry and anxiety will keep me in the garage, burning fuel, but going nowhere. And in the process, I’ll pollute the world around me, accomplishing nothing beneficial.

Jesus instructed me not to worry (Matthew 6:34), and the wisest man who ever lived said anxiety would weigh my heart down. But situations in my life and the world make both easy to do. And since they are first cousins, the first is normally followed closely by the second.

Worry and anxiety in small doses are good—not detrimental. If I had such an attitude that I never worried or was anxious in the least, I’d sit around and not properly respond to situations. If I didn’t worry a little about crime, homelessness, abuse, and corruption, I wouldn’t respond to opportunities to affect these circumstances as Jesus instructs me to do.

On the other hand, too much worry and anxiety will disturb me physically, spiritually, and emotionally. The human body is connected, not compartmentalized. What touches one part of me distresses the other parts. When I’m emotionally unbalanced, I’ll experience physical consequences.

Remembering God is in control and is a loving God helps me manage worry and anxiety so they don’t afflict me negatively. As the sovereign ruler, God controls world events and the details of my life. As a loving God, He won’t allow anything into my life that He won’t give me the strength to face, conquer, and learn from.

Don’t let worry and anxiety keep you in the garage. God’s shoulders are strong enough to carry you wherever He wants you to go.

Prayer: Father, we trust You to help us endure whatever You allow or bring into our lives. 

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