worry-bug

funny how one can always recognize something in someone else without ever acknowledging it in yourself.

For the last 8 years, my mother-in-law has been driving me insane with her constant worrying. it seems that she is simply not happy when she is not worrying. And when she does not have something to be anxious about in herself, she finds something in someone else's life to worry about.

this morning in the tub i realized that i have become a worry-bug... The worst part is that most of the things i worry about has nothing to do with me, but with friends or with those i minister to. It seems i keep on forgetting the truth that i learned from a five-year-old:

Upon entering a house of a friend one cold winters evening, their five-year-old ran up to me and asked: "do you know what the devil's greatest trick is?" i answered that i didn't know and he continued "it goes like this - you, go and sit in the corner and start worrying!"

It is nine years later and it seems that worrying has become the rocking chair that keeps me busy. While in the tub this morning i realized:
Worrying is the telltale sign that points to a focal problem in my life. When i worry, it is 100% of the time because i have taken my focus of God and placed it on my (or anyone else's) problems. in times when i worry i in effect doubt the size and power of my God. I am, like 10 of the 12 spies that went into the promised land, focusing of the giants that face me and not on the even bigger God that is with me.

So is there hope for a worry-bug like me?

For sure there is! the cure is at hand! all in need to do is to transform by the grace of God from a worry-bug to a praise-bug. That's it, it is that simple. I need to start focusing my time and energy on praising God. This will turn my self-centeredness into God-centredness and will leave not room for worry. It is all a matter of perspective.

Of cause i know that this will not mean that problems will not arise, in fact while i was typing this a close friend called with a problem, not something that i can do something about, she simply needed someone to listen. So what do i do? I give it to God, praise him for his love and care for her in the situation that she is in and allow Him to sort it out.

If you see me again and in look a little strange, don't worry: worry-bug is having her spots changed to that of a praise-bug.