Are you a Worrier -This is for YOU!
I am a sticky note freak !! If you have ever been to my office at the farm, my wall is filled with sticky notes with various great quotes, reminders and thoughts accumulated over the years.
My favourite sticky note hangs on my computer monitor right in front of me and reads “ Worry accomplishes nothing, doesn’t change anything and makes you SICK ! “
These past few months have been challenging times for each one of us. Covid has messed with all of us in one way or another. It hasn’t been easy. If you’re normal, worrying is something we are all forced to deal with. In my mind, it’s really important to have a mindset that is equipped to deal with worrying, especially when the going gets tough.
I am a morning guy … I like getting up early each morning to meditate, study financial books and spend time reading the BIOY (Bible In One Year) put out by the ALPHA group. This morning I read some great advice regarding what the apostle Paul talks about in Phillippians regarding worrying and dealing with anxiety in our lives. I decided it was really worth blogging about for all of us whether we practice a faith or not.
The passage I read was from Phillippians 4:2-23 … here are a few thoughts from that scripture and the accompanying commentary I thought were worth passing along to you.
1. ‘Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests we have), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants be known to God. And God’s peace which transcends all understanding, shall guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil 4:6-7 AMP). What a wonderful promise and comfort this is for us.
2. Corrie ten Boom defined worry as ‘a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a centre of fear‘. Worry can wreck our lives. Some of our worries are very real and some are illusionary, but in either case, a life weighed down by worry is not really living.
3. Paul’s solution to worrying is to encourage us to turn to prayer, bringing our specific requests to God: ‘Let your petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns’ (Phil 4:6 MSG). God wants us to talk to Him about what we worry about and let Him show us how to deal with those worries. God promises to exchange our worries with His peace. The word for peace means far more than an absence of hostility. It means wholeness, soundness, well being, oneness with God and every kind of blessing and good. This God given peace surpasses both your ability to cope, and your anxiety about what is to come.
4. You are what you think. We are surrounded by images and thoughts from social media which easily fill our minds with wrong thoughts.The good news is that we can resist this. The way to get wrong thoughts out is to get right thoughts in! Your mind cannot be unoccupied. If you don’t occupy your mind with good thoughts the enemy will fill your mind with bad ones. Make good choices on what you allow your mind to think about.
5. What we think about will affect every area of our life. So, focus on filling your you mind with good things. Paul defines good things as whatever is ’true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, …. excellent and prasieworthy. ( Phil 4:8,9 MSG).
6. Think about what you think about. The root of our problems may be our thought life. If you change the things you allow your mind to dwell on, … ‘God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies’ (Phil 4:9 MSG).The hardest part is always putting this ‘into practice’. The only way of learning any skill, trade or sport is by practising. If we practice placing good thoughts in our minds, God promises to grant us His peace ( Phil 4:9 ).
If you are like me, eliminating worry from our lives is hard work. It takes a lot of determination and self control to monitor what we allow ourselves to think about. I am thankful that God provides guidance and solutions to help us keep our mindset healthy.
Kind Regards,
John C. Heeney, CEO Glenroe Lending
Glenroe Farms Limited ( Private Lending )
We build LEGACY to create TRANQUILITY
john@glenroelending.ca
519 808 7370
