Hakuna Matata, Dude!
Tossing and turning at night, troubled by that one issue that you have no way of knowing, no way to control, and no absolute certainty of the outcome?
Through the years, I've had plenty of things to worry about. There were months of unemployment, wondering if we'd be able to pay the rent, keep the lights on, life -threatening family health issues, sudden deaths of friends and loved ones, etc. Lean times, scary times with which I'm sure many can relate. It was stressing the heck out of me and I could easily lose sleep over it. After all, what else could I do but my best?
Then I realized, I had a choice. Not that I could will myself to get a new job, a financial breakthrough, no. After all my diligence in job hunting, writing books, submitting them to publishers, selling non-essentials, and cutting costs to the marrow, there really was nothing left but two choices: Despair or chose peace.
The former was definitely a lot simpler, as it is the natural way of human emotion. In fact, I read an article about a man who had lost his job, and then went to kill his wife, child, and himself because of this despair. I didn't want to go anywhere near that path. So I chose peace. That took faith. Faith that "All things work together for the good of those who love Him [God] and are called according to His purpose." I had to chose to believe that, tell myself that every time despair threatened to put its deadly grip on me.
I also remembered the words of a Jewish Carpenter, whose life and teachings I have made my business to follow:
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Look at that saying again:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Like compound interest and debt, worry will grow.
I've learned that if you have faith, let go of your worries, and focus on what is truly positive in your life, then you will be able to rest, at least for tonight. You can't always control your circumstances, but you can control your response to them. So, if things are tough, you'll want to be in the best possible condition tomorrow to handle the new issues as well as old.
But aside from not worrying, what should I do? I mean, I'm not the kind of person who fails from lack of effort. In fact, I've probably failed in many more areas than most. But now, my family's future hung in the balance. I could not afford to fail this time. Looking back just one verse back from Jesus Christ's "Hakuna Matata" phrase in Matthew 6:33, He gives very clear instructions on what to do instead of worry:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things [clothes, food, provisions] will be given to you as well.
I took this to heart and spent the first hours of every day praying, studying the Bible, and meditating on its promises. But most of all, I remembered this one promise Jesus made:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Jesus was/is either telling the truth, a liar, or a lunatic. I know He was telling the truth, because I experienced it myself when I followed His teaching with all my heart. And today, my life is better than it has ever been before I lost my job in IT. And how I became a published author whose novels have won multiple awards and hit the tops of several bestseller lists is nothing short of a miracle and evidence not only of God's existence, but of His sense of humor!
"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" I can't.
If you remember nothing else from this post, remember this: Worry weakens, faith strengthens.
How have you coped with worry? I'd love to hear from you in the comments at the bottom of this page.
