It has been too long since I have participated in a Finish the Sentence Friday prompt, and here it is Sunday evening and I'm not sure I'll even get a post written before the link-up closes.
1. I worry I will post something that doesn't really matter.
2. I worry I won't post anything because I'll run out of time.
3. I worry that I am not a real worrier; am I even allowed to participate?
4. I worry that I should be a worrier but am not.
5. I worry that what I am claiming are worries are not big enough.
And so it goes.
Even though I am not a worrier, I can occasionally worry (usually when I'm tired but not sleeping, which fortunately doesn't happen often) and I've learned that what I really worry about falls into a big category called, "I CAN'T CONTROL THIS."
Now, since there are billions of things outside my control, how can I not be a worrier?
I recognize my limitations, but don't allow them to become excuses to do nothing. (I can't solve the problem of homelessness, for example, but I can buy lunch for a hungry person, for example.)
I try to make peace with the constraint of the clock and calendar. (I will never accomplish all the tasks; there will always be more that I could do. I need to be content with how I use my time and not worry about the things that didn't get done.)
I remember that time heals many wounds, maturity comes with age, and people grow and develop at individual rates. (I can be patient with myself and others.)
I cling to faith in God, and have hope that He will turn the wrongs right again, in His way and in His timing. (Unfathomably bad things happen in this life. I can do what I can to alleviate suffering and trust that some day, somehow, peace, justice, and mercy will come.)
Because "perfect love casteth out fear" (1 John 4:18), I can calm my worries when I focus on loving God, and my neighbor as myself.
I could worry that my way of dealing with worries will be viewed as simplistic, and that I will be judged as a simple-minded soul but . . . I'm not worried. 😊
(Thanks to Kristi and Kenya for hosting the Finish the Sentence Friday link-up, and for Lizzi for this week's prompt. Hopefully I will remember what I have written the next time insomnia strikes!)
1. I worry I will post something that doesn't really matter.
2. I worry I won't post anything because I'll run out of time.
3. I worry that I am not a real worrier; am I even allowed to participate?
4. I worry that I should be a worrier but am not.
5. I worry that what I am claiming are worries are not big enough.
And so it goes.
Even though I am not a worrier, I can occasionally worry (usually when I'm tired but not sleeping, which fortunately doesn't happen often) and I've learned that what I really worry about falls into a big category called, "I CAN'T CONTROL THIS."
Now, since there are billions of things outside my control, how can I not be a worrier?
I recognize my limitations, but don't allow them to become excuses to do nothing. (I can't solve the problem of homelessness, for example, but I can buy lunch for a hungry person, for example.)
I try to make peace with the constraint of the clock and calendar. (I will never accomplish all the tasks; there will always be more that I could do. I need to be content with how I use my time and not worry about the things that didn't get done.)
I remember that time heals many wounds, maturity comes with age, and people grow and develop at individual rates. (I can be patient with myself and others.)
I cling to faith in God, and have hope that He will turn the wrongs right again, in His way and in His timing. (Unfathomably bad things happen in this life. I can do what I can to alleviate suffering and trust that some day, somehow, peace, justice, and mercy will come.)
Because "perfect love casteth out fear" (1 John 4:18), I can calm my worries when I focus on loving God, and my neighbor as myself.
I could worry that my way of dealing with worries will be viewed as simplistic, and that I will be judged as a simple-minded soul but . . . I'm not worried. 😊
(Thanks to Kristi and Kenya for hosting the Finish the Sentence Friday link-up, and for Lizzi for this week's prompt. Hopefully I will remember what I have written the next time insomnia strikes!)
While I still struggle with banishing all the worries from my little worry wart brain, I do find that focusing on God and how strong He is helps me. I love putting my Spotify list to my Praise station and listening to that while I take deep breaths and that helps a lot. You have a lot of great suggestions that used all together can help in most situations. :) You sound a lot like my husband and how he deals with worries, and I'm trying hard to learn from him on how to view life. It's a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteMusic can be a great calming influence!
Delete:) I love the ending! So true. I probably worry too much but I'm working on it. I like the similarities in the overall message of our posts and I worry about posting things that don't matter too but in the end, all of it matters. I really think that's true. I'm glad you linked up with your worries (and lack thereof). Here's to doing what we can and knowing it's enough.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the similarities, too. I imagine you are right that writing does matter, and I know that the more I can write, the more I can develop that skill.
DeleteI love that your brought scriptures into this. Whenever I am worrying about something I cannot control I say, "God is in control" but of course I go back to worrying about it. I like your way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteI remember a specific situation that was very troubling for me, and literally the only time I felt at peace was when I was focused on God. Even though I couldn't figure out how things were going to work out, when I allowed myself to focus on God, I felt peace that the situation would resolve. In time, it did, and I learned that my own worrying had done nothing but make me feel sick.
Delete