Monday, January 27, 2014

A Lesson Hard to Learn

“Don’t worry about it. Things will turn out all right in the end.” These words can be comforting or they can be an irritation. I looked up the word “worry” and it means to allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles. Knowing that I’m allowing my mind to do this calls for another way to tackle the problem. A problem won’t go away by worrying over it, so what will make it go away? 

I have a friend who talks to God as if He were her servant. “Now God, I need you to watch over my grandchild. He’s in trouble and I can’t help but You can.” She has great faith in God which I admire but the idea of telling God to do His work, like ordering a servant, seems odd to me. Still, because of her faith she gets results.

The only way I can take the words “Don’t worry...” seriously is to also take the other words, “Things will turn out all right in the end” seriously. Then I need to bring the “end” right into the now. The way I do that is by acknowledging that God’s work is done, His kingdom is come. Then I find the faith to let the problem go and open my mind to the solution.

Someone has said, “It’s God’s business to take care of us and it’s our business to let Him.” This doesn’t mean to do nothing, but it does mean to allow God to guide in thinking and doing the right thing at the right time. Allowing worry to blind us to right thought and action is certainly not the right thing at any time!

Sometimes I feel helpless in helping someone I love. Worry makes me feel in need of help. Then I find encouragement in looking back at times I’ve been helped when things looked terribly worrisome. Faith, (not blind faith but the kind of faith that is “the substance of things hoped for,”) can work wonders if I allow faith to occupy my thoughts instead of worry.

You see, when things seem to be working out so well for me it almost shames me to see others in dire need of the very things I’m enjoying for myself. So that’s when I need to let God help them even if I can’t and not allow myself to worry and dwell on difficulties or troubles. 

God’s goodness can reach every one on the whole wide earth. I’ll do what I can to share in what’s been given to me, but I need to remember that the only dependence that is unfailing is dependence on God.

In our advancing years we can’t just sit around and twiddle our thumbs! I’m reminded of a story I once read. An elderly fellow was working in his garden and was called out to his gate by a neighbor. After chatting a while the neighbor said, “Say, Joe, every time I pass your place I see you out working. You’ve worked all your life. Don’t you think you deserve to just sit on your porch now and take it easy?”

Joe’s answer came out in a slow drawl something like this: “Well, I do see your point, my friend, but then again I don’t see any point in dying before my time's come!”

I woke up this morning about four o’clock worrying about someone I love. Funny, isn’t it, how we tend to let love haul a bag of worries? It just isn’t fitting! I had to get up and set my mind straight. Blogging does it, every time!


2 comments:

  1. There are several things that I think are difficult for others to watch, but are important. I think discomfort for other people is what brings about change. Some people are bothered by just a little discomfort. Some people can put up with a lot, to their detriment, for a long time. And I think God gives us nudges until we finally do something about it.

    Worry doesn't help. It just makes us all uncomfortable. And worry is not caring, just as being free from worry doesn't mean we don't care. It's just a knowledge that we are not in charge of other people or situations. God is.

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