Stepping off the worry wheel
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Tomorrow isn’t promised to us. How well I know this to be true. I’ve said it many times and live my life knowing that today’s joy might be gone tomorrow. Every day is a gift.
Last Monday, I received a phone call from a dear friend of mine, telling me that she had fallen, broken her hip, and would be undergoing surgery, later that day. Such news had significant ramifications for both her and me. As her primary point of contact, the hospital called me, advising me of her health status and requesting decisions to be made regarding the next steps for her care.
I was not prepared to make such decisions and knew I needed to discuss things with my friend, in-person. In the blink of an eye, her world and mine were looking quite different than those of the two independent women we once were. I contacted all my prayer warriors, and we began praying for everything to end well – with a full recovery for my dear friend.
During the week, I returned to my crisis mode of thinking – taking everything one step at a time. God was, is, and always will be in control. I know this with my whole heart – yet the many considerations that were weighing on my mind were pressing down on my spirit.
Two days after the surgery, my daily scripture reading took me to Matthew 6 – Christ’s Sermon on the Mount – where I was reminded, anew, not to worry about tomorrow.
“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (V. 25-26)
My new Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible boasts a half-page breakdown to the above, discussing the question of how we can overcome anxiety. Dr. Stanley equates our reaction to stress as similar to that of a mouse running on a wheel.
“The faster he runs, the faster the wheel moves – but he doesn’t make the slightest progress. He does not even have the sense to get off the wheel. This is exactly what anxiety does to you. As fearful thoughts fill your mind, you begin to run faster, trying harder to meet the demands of others or to prevent an uncertain disaster. But you will never gain complete control over your circumstances because God is the One who is solely in control of all things.
“There is only one way to step off the wheel: by acknowledging the Lord’s ability to take care of every need you have.” (1)
Such insight came to me precisely when I needed it. While I knew in my heart that God had everything under control, anxiety was seeping into my spirit as I worried about what was going to happen in the future. I was needlessly running on a wheel with no possible outcome other than stress.
God holds supremacy over all of our lives. He alone knows what the future holds. I can spend my days worrying about what tomorrow will look like – or I can give my concerns to the only one who already knows how they will resolve. There is tremendous comfort in that submission.
Today, I am stepping off the worry wheel and fully acknowledging God’s ability to handle my future as well as my friend’s. He is in control, and His will is sovereign. He alone knows what will happen tomorrow. I relinquish my burdens to His omniscient hands.
Reference:
- Stanley, C.F. “How can I overcome anxiety?” in the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible: New American Standard Version. Nashville. Thomas Nelson, 2011. Pg. 32.