Not all worries are created equal. For instance: “Will I be able to feed my family for the week” or “Will I lose my job now that they’ve cut costs significantly?” These worries, while not helpful, are warranted; they also keep us on our toes so we become vigilant against our fears (by resourcing ourselves against perceived threat).
The body’s built-in physiological response keeps us safe; if we didn’t have our fight-or-flight fear response, we wouldn’t be able to respond appropriately to life threatening situations.
That being said, there are fears that aren’t life-threatening. The worries stemming from irrational fear is not worth our time or brain power. These are the worries that are a product of our false beliefs about ourselves based on our culture, environment and the insane pressure to fit in within societal expectations.
These worries literally steal our joy and happiness; they completely shatter our ability to simply live in the moment fully and soak up the gifts it bestows. Worries that aren’t worth worrying over sound like “what should I eat. That sounds good but it will make me fat. I have to fit ito that dress on Friday.” Or “I watched too much tv and now my workout routine is ruined.” And “I cant pull off that outfit. I’m going to get teased.”
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes?
- Matthew 6:25 NIV
These worries are not just joy killers but they destroy our lives, too. If we get straight down to it and just live ie. eat the pizza, watch the three tv shows in a row, skip the workout to spend time with loved ones, wear the outfit anyway, the very action counteracts the worry we’d otherwise spend time on.
Worry isn’t living; it’s ruminating in fear and when we live in fear, we actually aren’t living. We die before we ever reach the end of the line.
Life’s not about the destination; when it comes to anything, the journey is what we came here for. Those little moments that we spend worrying instead of living aren’t going to come back; each worry we have is a moment lost that we should be delving into what it is that would bring us joy and happiness.
Drop the shoulds, cant’s and what-if’s from your vocabulary. If it’s not life-threatening, it’s not worth the worry. So let go and live for exactly what it is that moves you, inspires you and fills with you with joy.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, abs thank him for all he has done.
- Philippians 4:6 NLT
Give God your worries—even and especially the little ones. He cares about every bit of discord in our minds. Let Him lift your thoughts by releasing the worries from your mind and into the healing hands of God’s love.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
- 1 Peter 5:7