Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Its Not in YOUR control.....

You know I write these blogs when something is burning inside my heart- and its not the heart burn that comes with being 7 mos preggers... It is not my desire just to vent and let you know what I have been learning or struggling with but it is truly my desire that someone will read this and will be ministered to...that they may be in the exact season where this is a word for them....

How often do we worry? I personally struggle with anxiety and worry alot. I think alot of it is in ones personality as to whether they are a worrier or not. I am. Andrew is not. But as adults and Christ followers we can make the decision to CHOOSE not to worry. My life long struggle with eating disorders, I believe, is rooted in anxiety...and that is something I can choose to overcome..

There are so many dimensions to "worry" it is amazing. We engage in it more often than we even realize. Have you ever thought about those situations that make you angry when it comes to another believer as "worry."? To get angry over what someone has said, or didnt say? what someone was wearing? How so and so spends their money? that this person watches this tv show or that one? Or listens to this kind of music? havn't you ever gotten angry about how someone else lives their life? I am talking one believer to another....we are so quick to judge each other..and I am not talking a righteous anger...when we hear or see someting that just ticks us off.... and we dwell on it and play out scenarios and wonder "how in the world could they do/think/say/believe that?....

Jesus tells us that by worrying we can not add a single hour to our life...When I get to the end of my life I want to have spent as few minutes and hours worrying about things that are out of my control as possible. Sure, people are going to do things that tick us off, close friends are going to do things we don't approve of, organizations are going to thrive that are ungodly, politicians may be put in office that didn't get our vote, fellow beleivers are going to hurt us....But it comes down to this: How other people live and what they do is not within our means to control and therefore worry about....All we can do is live our lives and choose to respond in a way that is honoring to the Lord. I believe it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said that noone can make you feel inferior without your consent....How we respond and act is our choice....the choices others make are ultimatley their own and will be for God to judge....take a load off and stop worrying about other people...live your life...He has given you a blessed one....

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

2 comments:

Justin and Tori said...

Hi Lindsey,

I found your blog after browsing through jennisa's site. I want to tell you that I have enjoyed your posting very much and pop in from time to time to read the latest. You have a great writing style and much of your wrintings and your life mirror my own. You can check out our family blog at gravleegang.blogspot.com
Keep up the postings, they are enduring.

Tori Gravlee

The LaBouffs said...

I love that passage! Thanks for sharing. I never thought of myself as a worrier but after reading this I guess I was worrying (about insignificant things) more than I thought! I'll have to work on that!