“Always be full of joy
in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead,
pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has
done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can
understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ
Jesus…Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right and pure and
lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise….
Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9
As I type this, my niece, Ellen, is laboring to bring her 3rd
son into the world. When he is placed in her arms she will feel a love that
only a mother can understand. A bond will continue to grow and a connection will
be made that no one else will have. It is a special link between a mother and
her child. It is beautiful and it is awful because, with such a love, comes a
concern that can quickly turn into fear and anxiety when we hold on to it.
I am a mother. I know that fear. I also know that we can become so obsessed
with concern for our children that we hold on to it like a soggy blanket,
feeling only the dampness and not the warmth, yet we hold on as if, in our
worry, we are showing a greater degree of love. What we are actually
demonstrating is our complete inability to let God be in charge of the things
that are His to manage.
I know there are many of you out there who struggle with
anxiety and it is a very real problem. Some of it is hormonal, some is from
emotional baggage that we bring into motherhood, some is a chemical situation
that requires medication, and some of it is a choice. I am speaking to those of
you who fall into that last category, however, all can benefit from the words
of the Apostle Paul. It is more than a ‘don’t worry, be happy’ passage. There
are actual instructions in how to get from worry to peace.
1.
Joyfulness…Be
full of joy in the Lord. Be aware that he is with you and in you and is the
provider of all you need. Acknowledge him for who he is and what he can do and
has done in your life.
2.
Exchange
worry for prayer. Surround yourself with godly friends who will pray with you,
but first, hand it over to the one who created you. He is big enough to handle
it.
3.
Sing
songs of praise. Be thankful for all he has done. God lives in the praise of
his people. If singing isn’t your thing, listen to songs of praise. It makes a
huge difference.
4.
Understand
the power of your thoughts. Erase the “what ifs” and fix your thoughts on God’s
truth. Dwell on what is honorable, right and pure; what is lovely and admirable
and worthy of praise. Get your head in the game and give stinkin’ thinkin’ the
boot!
5.
Surrender
your life to God. Do as the Bible teaches. Paul did a 180 from a life of
persecuting Christians to being their leader. It doesn’t matter where you
started from, turn to godly living and enjoy God’s peaceful presence in your
life.
There will not be a medal of honor for those who worried the
most about their children. Let go of it. Let God be in control. He has the
tools and the wisdom to guide you as you guide them.
P.S. Dan and Ellen, when he gets here, tell little Lincoln this one is for him. xoxo
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