Worry can be heart-wrenching; even debilitating. Sometimes, it seems that our paths are strewn with worry upon worry. Immense worry such as deep financial debt, or, smaller, insignificant ones like whether I'm wearing the right outfit, it's impossible to live without worry. So shouldn't we choose our worry wisely?
My husband Bill and I are snowbirds; wintering in Arizona, far away from our frigid Canada. As winter transplants, we enjoy hiking in the mountains. Setting out at sunrise makes an exhilarating start to the day.
Heading up the trail, my mind wanders and touches on myriad thoughts and emotions. I often straggle behind while I take photos or record inspirational thoughts. And today, as I stared up the steep incline, strewn with both heavy boulders as well as lots of loose rocks, I couldn't help but make a comparison to that struggle against worry, which can feel almost the same.
We know that worry is a negative emotion, taking away from our daily joy and wasting energy that could be used in other more positive ways. But, as I stepped on to the large boulders, planted deep into the path, making my way safely up the trail, I recognized that handling my worry could be managed in the same way. Those boulders are God's way of providing a safe path. As in Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.", God is supplying us with the boulders we need to step safely though our seasons of darkness and worry.
Agonizing over anything without giving it to God in prayer will make us feel like we're trying to climb the mountain on that path strewn with loose rocks. We'll slip and slide and may even fall down. But, when we choose to hand over our worry to our Saviour, it's like choosing to step on the solid boulders, deeply sunken into the earth, making our path a little easier to navigate.
As earlier in the chapter, Philippians 4:6 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." So, each time we pray over our worry, we're picking out the boulders on the path, leaving the insignificant rocks aside.
Lord, we thank you for providing us the boulders we need to move through our seasons of worry and darkness. As we pray for Your guidance through our difficult times, we know that You have made the path passable. By giving our worry over to You, we are able to navigate the path of our life safely and in Your presence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"For nothing will be impossible with God", Luke 1:37.
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