Don't Worry, Be Happy

I paced the floor of our living room.  I felt like a caged lion.  The cold seemed to radiate from the outside, which further dampened the mood I was already comfortably settled into.  It didn't take long to find the name for the emotions I was drowning in -- worry. 

Worry; it meant I had taken the cares of my life from God's capable hands and put them back in my own hands . . . again.  Would I ever learn?  I asked myself.   Did I really think that my stewing over these items would make a positive difference?  Ultimately, worry meant I was focusing my thoughts on the enemy's lies for me, not God's truths.

I grabbed for my Bible and flipped to the passage I had read so many times.  "DO NOT be anxious about ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, WILL guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6&7)  That was the missing link - the peace was not there.  I knew that as I read that passage I often stopped at that verse and failed to read on.  As my eyes stumbled ahead on the lines, I realized God was showing more of His battle plan.  How to fight against the emotions of worry that tumbled around my head like black flies in the springtime.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

That was it, I thought, as the triumph moved from my head to my heart.  A smile broke across my face as the dawning came . . . all the things I had allowed my mind to focus on while I worried had nothing to do with God's checklist of things to think about.

Is it true?

Is it noble?

Is it right?

Is it pure?

Is it lovely?

Is it admirable?

Is it excellent?

Is it praiseworthy?

If I had to say NO to even one of those questions, then I was not following God's plan.  And there was another important truth buried here - by worrying I was choosing to sin.  To go against what God had required of me meant that I had to become a slave to the enemy of my God.

It came full circle in my mind - right back to one of my favourite verses - "We take captive EVERY thought and make it obedient to Christ."  (II Corinthians 10:5)  If I was to importune each thought to go through the security check as meticulously as if in front of a guard at the airport, I would be in far more peaceful place in my mind. 

"God," I cried out, "Help me not to worry, but to take captive each thought, and then to be happy in You!"  The peace came, the worry left and my thoughts focused on the lovely once more.  Always God's Word had the way I needed to go -- always.

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Luke 12:25