Worry in general, is holding onto deep concern or anxiety about problems or potential issues. We understand that everyone is different and some people may have serious anxiety disorders, which can be a very different thing, and requires specialist and professional support.
Being worried can range from having concern at being a little out of your depth to feeling completely lost and alone at sea. At times it might feel like the waves are rising around you and the small tugboat of your life is being tossed and battered by one wave after another. It’s worth remembering that a boat is built for water. The boat never sinks because of the water it’s in, it only sinks because of the water that gets in the boat.
When left unchecked, worry just keeps on growing and takes over our lives. You will always find new things to worry about. In fact, most of the things we find ourselves worrying about never actually materialise.
To combat worry, you must make a roadblock. Begin the fight back by asking yourself one important question. What has worry ever done for me?
By worrying, can we add even a small amount to our height or change our physical appearance? Worry and anxiety are wasted energy when it comes to helping our real life situation.
The truth is a great tool to combat worry. If you are able, sit down and write out all the things you’re worried about. Then draw two boxes and call one of them “The Truth” and the other “What If’s”.
It may surprise you how many of your worries end up in the ‘What if’s’ box?
The ‘what if’s’ become the water in the boat. You begin to sink under a false sea of things that might happen, but probably never will.
So don’t fear the waves outside your boat, it’s just the water keeping you afloat and don’t let the ‘what if’s’ inside. Put your trust in something bigger than your problems.
Paul writing in the Bible spoke to a group of worried people when he penned these words:-
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
What he is saying in simple terms is, let go of your worries and trust something bigger, something out of your situation, something out of this world. Trust in truth.
He goes on to list a few things to fill your thoughts with instead of ‘what if’s’. Which are, whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, things of good report, of virtue or praiseworthy. Take action today to combat worry and watch how things change.