Worry, Fears & Wasted Tears

What if you didn't have to worry about anything at all? What if you've been stressed out about something that, in essence, is really nothing? What if every adverse issue that arises in your life was already worked out before it ever showed up ?

Have you ever worried and agonized over something only to later find out, there was absolutely no need? Have you ever sat for hours, even days, meditating and pondering on a lying thought or even a truth that you could do absolutely nothing about without supernatural intervention?

I received a copy of a page from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible from a friend the other day. It really got me thinking. Issues of every day life and how God would have us, as true Born-again Believers in Jesus Christ, to handle LIFE with all of it's ups and downs, based on the love of a huge, powerful awesome, merciful, grace filled God and His care for His very own.

I was privileged to pray with someone who was in a dispute. It was a very stressful situation that upset them very much. The situation was going to pull them out of the will of God if unresolved, so we and others prayed in faith with the person, asking the Lord to intervene and settle the dispute according to His will. Time was passing and it appeared that it would not be resolved in favor of the will of God! It caused much stress as the person kept looking at and meditating on the situation.

I received several calls on the issue and the tears flowed as they anticipated the worst. I listened for a while and tried to console. I finally said, "You really need to calm down, rest, and wait on the Lord. It has not even happened yet. It's just the threat that's stressing you out. Remember, we're believing God to move according to His will, not the will of the person with whom you're in dispute. You're wasting time, energy, and tears and being distracted from whatever productive thing you're really supposed to be doing right now."

Low and behold, a few days later, the issue was resolved. The person who had initiated the dispute calmly said in so many words, "We're not going to do that after all." Joy flowed and the world could turn normally again for the one who was so stressed about the situation. The person realized that they had wasted time, tears and lost much needed rest over what turned out to be nothing but an empty threat. Needless to say, a great lesson was learned.

You and I have all done it; wasted time, tears and lost much needed rest worrying about something that was really nothing but an empty threat. Some, more than others. Some actually live a life of worry and fear. If there is nothing to worry about, you think there is something to worry about which causes you to seek out something to worry about, then you worry about it only to find out that there was nothing to worry about. Crazy, right? What a cycle! Don't get me wrong. I know first hand that things regularly arise that give cause for concern and needs to be handled, but God provides guidance and solutions in every situation and circumstance if you'll just stay tuned to His Spirit and His Word.

Philippians 4:6-7 (TLB)

"Don’t worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything;

tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.

If you do this, you will experience God’s peace,

which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.

His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet

and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."

Someone may say, "But you don't know what happened to me. You don't know what I'm dealing with. If I don't worry about my situation, who will?" You're right! I don't know what you're dealing with, but I do know that no one, especially you, should be "worrying" about it. Matthew 6:27 (NLT) says, "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" God's Word is true. He is a loving Father and will compassionately get you through even the worst thing imaginable. I'm a living witness of that.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (TLB)

"If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in His good time He will lift you up. Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."

Philippians 2:13 (KJV), "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

There are many things we could stress and worry about on a daily basis. There are marriage issues, unmarried issues, family and children issues, relationship issues, financial issues, health issues, work & business issues, social issues, church issues, local issues, national issues, world issues, tragedy issues; YOU NAME IT!

It stands to reason that if you can truly train yourself to CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON THE LORD (1 Peter 5:7), there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that will be able to detrimentally frustrate, worry, and discourage you. Nothing will deter you to a point of losing sight of the power of God. His power works mightily in you, your life and situations for His good pleasure.

I once heard it said in a powerful message, "I DON'T CARE." At first I thought it was somewhat cold and callous in it's context. I pondered the thought and it resonated deep in my heart, hitting like a ton of bricks. The person who spoke it had conquered the biblical principle of "casting your cares." When you really get this, it will be true that you "don't care" especially about things that come to cause worry, fear, wasted tears and distraction. Because God truly cares and is concerned about everything that concerns you, you don't have to care in that sense to worry, be anxious, frustrated, discouraged, and afraid. Therefore you can daily walk in the peace that passes all understanding as you seek God for the necessary direction and answers. Wow! If you belong to Him, God has you covered every day in every way imaginable and there's no need to have worry, fear or and wasted tears.

Although I don't like to use Proverbs 3:5-6 because it has become so cliche in some circles, it is the Word of God and so very true. As you trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, not leaning to your own understanding and acknowledging Him in all your ways, He WILL indeed direct your path. This means that He is the first "GO TO" not the last resort! Learn to cast your cares on Him and practice it daily. He has proven time and time again that He is the ultimate Problem Solver and can show you how to handle things much much better than you can on your own. Agreed?

BELIEVE IT, RECEIVE IT, LIVE IT!