Listen/Download Audio of Overcoming Worry
Remember that you did not inherit worry from your Father-God. God does not wish you to worry. He wants you to be happy and fearless. Since we all agree that worrying does not pay, it seems strange that there are so few of us who know how to stop worrying. Physicians tell us that worry is undermining the health of many persons. But we do not need to have a doctor tell us that worry will keep us awake at night and tire us out in the day. Worry is just a bad thought habit, and those who have acquired it usually worry whether there is anything much to worry about or not. If there is nothing serious to worry about, the worry addict will hunt up something trivial to worry about.
A person can always worry about the weather if he does not happen to have anything more important to trouble him. Of course we all should like to give up worry, but if we did suddenly do so some of us would find difficulty in occupying our thoughts at first, because worry has absorbed so much of our time that we should feel lonesome without it.
The reason why we worry is usually because we are uncertain about the future. We fear that something is not going to turn out as it should; that our investment may be lost; that our joy may not last; that it may rain and spoil our picnic; that some member of the family may be hurt; that we may get sick; that we may not be in time for an appointment; that a friend may have been offended by something that we may have said; or that one of ten thousand other unpleasant possibilities may happen. Worrying about these things is unnecessary because most of the things we worry about never happen.
Since the tendency to worry is a mental habit it must be corrected in our mind. It cannot be overcome by changing conditions on the outside of us. Our mind must be taught to have faith; it must be poised in confidence and trust. The fear of what may happen in the future must be replaced by something greater than fear, namely faith.
Will power alone cannot overcome worry. Many persons decide not to worry any more because they see how foolish it is, but when they try to overcome worry by will power they usually find that they cannot stop the habit that way. But if those who desire to overcome the worry habit will put their affairs in the hands of God and through faith bring themselves daily into His protecting presence, they will gradually overcome this unprofitable habit.
We must daily remind ourselves that God is good and that God is all-powerful, and that there is therefore nothing to worry about. We must practice attaining that quiet, peaceful feeling which comes from a realization of God’s power for good.
Getting quiet and peaceful does not mean that we shall stop working and playing and trying to do better and better; but it means that we still our fears and doubts. After doing this we shall have a keener desire to do better and finer things. We must not sit down and wait for something to happen. We should go ahead and do our work joyously, not worrying about the outcome of our efforts. We cultivate that confidence and trust that makes us feel poised and peaceful inside as we realize that God is helping us to succeed. If the thing we are trying for is not realized something better will take its place.
We need to learn the great lesson of letting God’s will instead of our own be done in us and in our affairs. Fear and worry come of the will of man, not of the will of God. If we have faith enough to let God’s will be done in us and in our affairs we shall not need to fear or to worry. Most of the things we worry about we find later were not worth the thought we gave them. Later when we look back upon our experiences we wonder why we worried. In fact experience should help us easily to put all our affairs into God’s hands. Such a trustful attitude will release new energy within us that we can apply to doing better work and to spreading good will and happiness among others.
Remember that you do not need to worry. Worry is not God’s will for you. God’s will for you is poise, peace, and happiness. God’s will for you is health and prosperity. God’s will for you is a loving heart. God’s will for you is a clear, happy mind. Let God’s will be done in you, and you will be a new creature.
SUGGESTIONS FOR DAILY MEDITATION
SUNDAY: God has not given me a spirit of fear or worry. He has given me a sound, powerful mind.
MONDAY: I am poised and I am assured that all is well, for God is my security.
TUESDAY: In Christ I find the peace that passes understanding.
WEDNESDAY: Nothing can disturb me, for I am abiding in the consciousness of infinite peace and love.
THURSDAY: All things are working together for good because I love God with all my heart.
FRIDAY: I have placed my life and my affairs in the hands of my loving Father, and there is therefore nothing to worry about.
SATURDAY: The will of the Father in me helps me to recognize peace, harmony, and goodness everywhere.
