A Writing Assignment Gone Personal
I took the writing assignment before I knew the topic. When I actually found out the topic, I just had to laugh. I had agreed to write about worry. Yep. Five short, daily devotionals on worry. Why did I laugh? Because I’m not exactly the poster child for handling worry in a super-spiritual way. Truthfully, some days I feel as if I’m steps away from letting worry pull me under like a strong riptide.
But I wanted to keep my word. So I gathered books and commentaries and immersed myself in the passage I’d been given: Matthew 6:25-31. As an academic exercise, this was fun! I even learned about some Greek words.
But after a few days, I stashed my books and let myself marinate in the words I had read. I let the ideas wash over me and asked God to open my eyes and teach me through these words.
I also admitted to God and to myself that I have a tendency to worry. I know it doesn’t do anything good in my life, but I still do it. Kind of like an addiction really. Ouch!
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it own. (Matthew 6:25-31)
Matthew 6:25 gives me some clues about things that cause worry: money, food, drink, and clothing. Necessities of life, right? So what causes me to worry in regard to these things? Good question.
As I thought and wrote, I began to see that my worry comes largely from putting second things first. Money, clothes, even food can so easily become my daily focus. So can wanting respect from other writers.
The more I linger on these topics, the more I stay in the worry loop. My pastor would call that a “worship disorder.” I get mixed up and worship the little gods of financial stability, high regard of friends and colleagues. . . . And when I do it, I don’t feel any better.
But when I turn away from what I think I want and turn instead to stare at God through His words in my favorite book (The Bible) and listen to music that celebrates God, then I truly do feel better. And I seem to be able to shut down the worry loop. Truly.
How thankful I am for this writing assignment gone personal. I needed to think long and hard about worry.
Want to join me in God’s classroom today and make time to think and pray about what worries you? If you’re brave, ask God to help you trace those worries back to something or someone other than God whom you have made the focus of your life.
If you want to read the rest of my writing assignment, you can find it here: http://wheatonbible.org/resources/devotional/the-stuff-of-worry/
And if you want to listen to some music that will draw your heart back to God and away from what worries you, join me on this Pandora Storm Sister Soundtrack: http://www.pandora.com/station/play/1139667308769314118
