Worry

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”  Corrie ten Boom

I was honored and privileged to have known Corrie ten Boom while I was in Seminary.  She lived close and I remember visiting her as I sat at her feet and listened to her teachings. She was a wise woman whose life reflected what she taught.

Worry doesn’t do anything to help us accomplish our goals and it really does strip away our energy and creative ideas for problem solving. It doesn’t matter if you’re worried about finances, your children, your spouse, your job, or the world’s never-ending crises. The more you worry, the less productive you will be. Mark Twain put it this way, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe. I have spent most of my life worrying about things that never happened.”

To manage worry, replace your anxious thoughts with those of gratitude for the things that are going right. Instead of being over concerned with negative outcomes, imagine the best conclusion possible for whatever it is you are worried about. The positive results you imagine may not come to pass, but you will transform your mind and your life by believing the best.

Turn your cares over to God and ask him to help change your thinking.  Read good books and listen to good radio and television. Surround yourself with people who care about you and who engage in noble causes. Limit your time with negative, anxious people. Learn to take one day at a time, and make a conscience effort to do things for others.