I’m worrying good right now.
That means I’m believing bad.
When we stepped outside to feed our 1½-year-old Golden Retriever Tuesday morning, she lay perfectly still in her dog house and refused to come. A panicky trip to the vet proved that Kandie was a very sick dog.
Cracks of worry
I worried whether she would live or die.
But when the vet called with a surgery option, I worried whether I’d be a wise steward to spend so much money on a dog.
What does this have to do with “believing better”?
Well, maybe everything.
One of my spiritual resolutions for 2011 has been to release my worry into more dependence on God.
So when I find myself anxious about situations and choices, I remind myself there’s a crack in my belief.
Because I believe that what I believe about God affects the way I see everything else.
Do I trust Him or not? Can I honestly answer, “Yes!” if I’m actually living, “Sort of”?
When I read Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:25-34, I detect the fissures that can break open my mountain of worry.
1. He knows
Does God really keep track of everything going on in my life? Is He even aware that my dog has some mysterious illness? Yes, He’s very aware, even of the next strand of my hair turning from brown to gray (Matthew 10:30). He knows every small and large thing I need (Matthew 6:32).
That means He also knows not only that my dog is sick, but what it is that is making her sick.
2. He cares
So if He does know (and I can easily believe He does know), then does He care? If He cared enough to feed every cardinal and mallard and crow outside my window this morning (Matthew 6:26), won’t He care even more about me, one made in His own image? Of course He will. And if He cares about me, He’ll care that I’m hurting over one of His creatures that is sick (Matthew 10:29).
So if I come to believe that He does care (I do believe), the next belief I have to challenge is in His willingness:
If He cares so much, why doesn’t He do something about it?
(This is the hardest one for me.)
3. He works
He IS doing something about it. Whether I realize it or not, God is always at work for my good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). He keeps me fed, sheltered, and clothed (Matthew 6:30). I can see the evidence of that if I’ll look. I must remember to look.
But my dog?
My worries are that (a) she’ll die and I’ll be sad. But hasn’t God proven faithful to sit with me through much larger sadnesses already? Yes. And hasn’t He promised grace to cover those yet in my future? Yes. So even if Kandie does die, God has already strategically planted ahead gifts of grace to see me through it.
But I also worry that (b) I’ll overspend unwisely on a pet. But isn’t God at work here too? If I pray for wisdom (I am)—and if I believe He’ll give it (I do)—I can trust He’ll actively guide me with each decision that I have to make (James 1:5-6), one at a time.
Believe better
So as I believe better—that God knows, God cares, and God works—even about a family pet, I turn away from my sin of anxiety, and become satisfied with how God will handle it all.
It’s not up to me to control the situation; it’s only up to me to believe in the One who can.
Whew. Doesn’t that take a load off?
I believe it does.
Do you have a problem with worrying, too?
What scriptures help you believe better and worry less?
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I am a born worrier. I have to say scriptures to myself all the time. Jeremiah 29:11, Phil 4:6-7, and Proverbs 3:5-6 are often rolling off my tongue. He is gracious to make good on his promise that when I pray and offer my anxieties to Him, He will fill me with His peace! He has used my worrying tendencies to grow me much closer to Him. I have understood that it is not faith-filled response to life and it has forced me to turn to Him regularly. If I were a more laid back person I might not have had as much opportunity to exercise my leaning-on-the-everlasting-arms muscle. :-)
Thank you for the reminder that worrying is a sign of wrong-thinking.
Thank you for sharing these verses, Patti. Excellent ways to battle anxiety.
I appreciate your attitude of seeing our worry battles as opportunities to exercise our faith muscles. Instead of abs of steel (I’m giving up that dream, ha), may we continue building a solid faith instead.
Last Christmas, we had a similar situation with a cat of ours. One who has literally grown up with my teens…he was run over by a van! God did give wisdom and the “old man” as we call him is still around this Christmas. The vet worked with us on a reasonably priced plan that would give him the best chance of surviving but not put us in the poor house. God knew and He cared and He worked.
This Christmas, I am battling breast cancer. God knows, He cares and He is working. I have had to preach everything you wrote in this post to myself over and over in the months since my diagnosis, but God has been faithful to give me peace when I lay the requests (and give up the worries) at His feet.
In the seemingly small (like cats) and the large (like cancer), God is there, He knows, He cares and He works. Thanks for the reminder.
Oh, Andrea. I’m sorry you’re dealing with breast cancer. I’m glad you know the Lord and can turn to him for this very large thing. Perhaps these little lessons we learn along the way help prepare us in ways we can’t fully understand for the larger trials that inevitably also come along.
My prayers will be with you. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. May the Lord grant you full healing!
Great reminders, Lisa, and I need them frequently.
I need them frequently too. I had a new situation pop up just last night that I had to remind myself that God knows, God cares, and God works.
I like Phil 4:6-7. I am a worrier and things this fall just caused a lot of anxiety. This summer we had a to pay a huge hospital bill which wiped out pretty much all we had. I thought that we really needed to be frugal with our money in the next few months (we are anyway, but this meant NO extras). I was so upset in the middle of October when I started getting buzzing in my ears and my hearing seemed dulled. I put off going to the doctor, but I ended up going and found that I had fluid in my ears. I ended up spending well over $100 and I’m still not completely well. This was money we did not have and still I needed help. It was very hard, but we are not completely sunk. Anyway, I knew that God was trying to get my attention and help me to be still and listen to him. Thanks for these thoughts!
These have definitely been some trying few months in your household, Shonda. It seems that some seasons of life have so many difficulties all at once, but you are wise to use them to pay closer attention to the Lord.
In his sovereignty he can use any and all situations to help us, so I pray that he’ll continue to use this time in a way that help you overcome your anxiety. I know it’s a tough battle; I continue to fight it too.
But I also know our God is even bigger. So I’m thankful I have sisters beside me who understand this fight and with whom I can pray together for our mutual transformation.
Thank you Lisa for this. Been thinking about your sweet dog and for you during her sickness. My worry presents itself in control issues. I don’t want to let go or else who knows what will happen. Thank you for refocusing my vision. He does know. He does care. And He is powerful enough and loves me enough to work!
I relate to what you’re saying about control issues, Heather. Not having control of the unknown is one of my major roots of worry.
But the promises of God are meant to fill in those gaps of the unknown. I know it; now I just need truly to “believe better.” (I love that Katie chose this theme; it hits home with me.)
Praying for your sweet pup :’-( Your post was both comforting and convicting — thank you for reaching out to us during your trial.
Thanks for praying, Rebecca. I realize a sick dog is very small in the grand scheme of things, but still it matters. I’m waiting to hear back from the vet soon to know if we can bring her back home today.
I’m thankful that God does care for us even in the small things. We are so blessed to have a Creator who loves us like this!
Good stuff Lisa. Well backed with scripture as well. I don’t know anyone who can’t get a lift from God through His words via you today… Perfect timing for me… No surprise there!
Thanks, Floyd. I find Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount is always good for what ails me, anytime, anywhere.
Thanks for this reminder. You are right to point us back to the activity and character of God. I worry when my focus is on His “not safe” and “not tame” attributes and forget that God, like Aslan, is *good.*
Your family and your sweet Kandie are in my prayers. I have been in that situation, and it’s tough to negotiate the decision tension you describe all while hurting along with the pet and not knowing whether to work for healing or begin letting go. May God grant all the wisdom, strength, comfort, and provision you need and restore your pup to you soon if He wills.
That “not tame” line from Narnia gets me, too, but yes, when matched with His goodness, we are safe with Him.
Thanks for praying for Kandie. We just returned from the vet and have brought her back home! She is definitely improved. We will watch her very closely the new couple weeks since they never really could make a diagnosis of the problem.
Thank you for this Lisa. Such a good time for me to hear this as I can worry so easily. When I take control and don’t give it to God… things are crazy. The atmosphere of my home changes into something my heart cries to change. The outcome of focusing on God and letting him take care of it all changes attitudes in my children as well. When I am stressed and anxious, they become stressed too! Thank you for this reminder!
Yes, that worrying attitude does spill over onto our kids. When I saw my oldest daughter worrying about something when she was away at college, I immediately saw myself in her and it made me sad.
But thankfully, as you said, they also pick up on our faith choices when we struggle to hand it all over to the Lord. And we can learn from them as we watch them do it as well. Thanks, Angie, for stopping by today.
Of course I worry too when it concerns sick human or a pet, but then I make a decision and then the worries stop.
That’s great that worrying is not one of your problem areas, Gattina. I look forward to the day when it won’t be one of mine either!