As I’ve grown older, I’ve made it a point to not waste a day worrying about something I can’t control.
I wish I’d had that mindset when I was younger. How many days have I wasted, how many stomach aches could I have spared, how much less stress I could have had if I’d remembered that the One who controls all things has my back and has my situation under perfect control.
Let me take this time to remind you — and encourage you — of the things you, too, never need to worry about if you are trusting in the One who can do all things:
1. If you know personally the Great Physician, you never need to worry that you suffer with a condition that no doctor understands or can treat. Nothing takes Him by surprise. No condition is outside of His league.
2. If you know the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), you never need to worry about where your next meal will come from.
3. If you, like David in Psalm 101, “walk within (your) house in the integrity of (your) heart, and set no worthless thing before (your) eyes” (Psalm 101:2-3), you never have to worry about your reputation. God’s got your back.
4. If you are investing in eternal things, you never have to worry that you will be robbed, ripped off, or wiped out financially (Matthew 6:20). He takes great care of what you give to Him.
5. If you faithfully honor God with the first of what you have, you never need to worry that He won’t provide for you, financially and otherwise (Micah 3:10-13; Philippians 4:19).
6. If you walk uprightly, you never need to worry that God will withhold something truly good from you (Psalm 84:11). (If you are walking uprightly now and it still seems like God is withholding, it either isn’t truly good for you, or it isn’t time.)
7. If you “commit your works to Him” (Proverbs 16:3), you don’t need to worry that you’ll be short-changed, cheated, or destined for failure. God’s Word promises that God can work even the bad things for good in our lives. So there’s absolutely no way you can fail or lose when you put Him first.
What do you worry about that is not included in this list? Let me know in the comment section below and I’ll make sure next week’s list of “7 More Things We Never Have to Worry About” includes YOUR burden, too, and the reason — from Scripture — that you and I don’t need to stress about it any longer.
My husband is having a huge midlife crisis and wants to end our marriage. He is withdrawing from all of his Christian friends and no longer attends our church. I am concerned about possible suicide, as well – he admits to considering it in the past. He briefly went to marriage counseling, but walked out and refused to return.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Kate. I absolutely understand if this is a particularly fearful time for you. I will be in prayer about your situation so I can respond in a responsible and biblically accurate way. Thanks for sharing your concern and I know my other readers will be praying for you, too.
Sometimes I worry about if God sees me trying. I go through things and He said He would help me, yet sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’m helped. I worry about not having friends. I am a good friend and I try to make them yet I don’t have any & I worry about God having a wonderful plan for me. I believe He does at times, but I beat myself up a lot & don’t think I’m good enough or why would God use me. I know It’s awful to think this way, and I want to stop. I truly want to change my ways, I want God’s ways. I want His attitudes, His good habits. I want procrastination to be broken off my life and I want to finish things that I start. I’m excited about Rosh Hashanah tomorrow and the day of Atonement Oct 4th. This will be the first time I ever celebrate it this year. Tomorrow’s my new year. My new beginning. I have to get the stones out of my pocket so I can help others. Galatians 6:2, 1 Peter 4:8, John 4:23, and 1 Timothy 2:15 are some of my favorite scriptures that help me stay humble. I’m going to meditate on Jer 33:3 it’s one of my favorite scriptures too. Have a blessed night Cindi!
Thanks, Brittany. I’ll include some of those concerns you shared in next week’s blog. Stay tuned. 🙂
Thanks for this AWESOME post, Cindi! This is SO good, and so comforting. It’s filled with so many truths to help us overcome lies. Very powerful! I lOVE your writing, you always speak what I need to hear (with pretty much every article and page out of all your books). Praising God for you today and praying you and your family are generously blessed!
I worry the most about my family. My husband and I are both first generation Christians and it can be so hard seeing our family’s lives (siblings and parents, and my grandma). My biggest prayer for them is their salvation, but this could happen at the end of their lives on their death bed. It would be so awesome to see their lives transformed and living for the Lord.
Thank you, Amber, for your encouraging words. I’m glad my blog posts and books have ministered to you. Thanks for sharing the main concern on your heart. I will try to address that in next week’s blog, as well.
I often worry about my spiritual growth sometimes i feel like i am not growing.
Thanks for commenting, Julissa. I think a lot of women worry about the same thing. I’ll address that in next Tuesday’s blog.
I agree with you Cindi. Mindset is so important. However, some of us worriers have a harder and longer battle conquering those worry thoughts. For some, it can be a daily battle. For others, not so much.
I find that my worry is best replaced with peace and confidence when the focus is on Jesus. Like when Peter had his eyes on Jesus he did the impossible, but when he took His eyes off Christ and looked at the impossible, he was afraid. The more I focus on the worry, the bigger it becomes. When the worship music plays and I start praising Him, there is no room for worry.
My prayer is that in this battle to overcome worry, we remember we are not alone. For God so loved US….no matter how many times we have to lay down our worry. We are chosen, loved, treasured and completely forgiven as a child of the King of Kings. He is our strength in weakness. He knows all about what worries us and has it covered. We can breathe in His grace.
Beautiful words, Mary. Thank you.
I don’t want to sound bad or anything, but a lot of things just don’t worry me. I know ‘it’ is all in God’s capable hands. That said, I don’t think I have things to worry about either. I am concerned about things, to be sure, but I would not call them worries. What I’d like to know is this: I am 51 and divorced, does this mean I had God’s “perfect plan for me” when I was married and now I lost it or am too old to have it? What is God’s plan for me? How can I know it?
Sorry to be late…I’ve had a lot of back emails.
Thank you.
This is one of my favorite subjects! Like you, I endlessly worried as a young girl/woman. Once I became a Christian and learned that God does my worrying, I felt the most AMAZING burden lifted!!! As far as worry goes for me…it’s God’s job. I trust Him. If worry comes up I say, “Okay Lord, this is yours.” I know everything happens according to God’s plan for me, it’s as it’s supposed to be…good or bad. People tell me they worry so much, they can’t sleep. I tell them, “Hand it over to God. He’s going to be up all night any ‘ol way.” Thank you Cindi for some great verses to reflect on:-)