Most of the time, our bodies let us know how we are doing. Each of us has a unique way of showing it. As a young person, if I were too exhausted or too worried, my top lip would swell into a fever blister. That was my warning signal.
For the past thirty some years, however, my signal has changed. Diagnosed with IBS, I accepted that my inheritance from my parents was a depressive gene from Dad and a nervous stomach from Mom!
I suppose everyone has worry or anxiety of some kind. I know I am not supposed to worry, but try telling my brain that! I wish I could find a switch that would turn it off, but, alas, I cannot.
Often, I read where Jesus said “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:34) and Paul said “Be anxious for nothing.” (Philippians 4:6) It causes me to wonder, “Why can’t I turn it off? What’s wrong with me?”
In Mexico, I bought a worry box, about an inch square, filled with tiny string dolls. The shop owner said to take the dolls out, tell them my worries, replace them in the box, close it and let the dolls worry for me!
While living in Saudi, I saw many men with worry beads in their hands. They were telling the beads their problems as they drew them between their fingers.
Francine Rivers, in her book Redeeming Love, suggested writing a worry on paper, dating it, placing it in a covered box and shoving it under the bed, showing that the problem had been given to God.
All of these require letting go of the problem, which is a good thing. I do not talk to worry dolls nor worry beads, nor do I have a box of paper slips with problems written on them. I know that to let go, I need to talk to my Father about them and then give them to Him.
The Bible is filled with the words, “Do not fear. I am with you.” Someone said there are 365 verses that say that, one for each day of the year. I have never counted them, so I am not certain that is correct, but I know that God is always with me, even when it does not feel like He is. When I lose my focus and move away, that is when I should do as David did when he faced Goliath, and remember all of the times that God was there for me and took care of me. As Psalm 91:4 assures, He keeps me under His wings!
I like to fix things and think that I am in control. It is difficult to let things go, so even when I pray, I wish I could say that remembering all God has done for me makes my worries go away. Instead, often I suggest to God how to fix the problem instead of just telling what the problem is and asking Him to fix it.
Reading about people who had worries in the Bible consoles me, knowing that God loved them in spite of their insecurities. My Douglas said to me that even Jesus experienced anxiety! What?!
When I asked about it, Douglas showed me where Jesus was in agony, that his sweat became like drops of blood. (Luke 22:44) Jesus had impassioned prayers, pleading for the cup to pass, clearly in anguish. He told his disciples, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me!” (Mark 14:34 TEV)
Jesus was human, like me. He had anger, sadness, and anxiety, as I do. He understands me. He does not shame me nor say I was cursed with worry.
But still, I should not worry about my past mistakes nor my future, but that is easier said than done. The best thing to do is to go to Jesus for help. Also, I could ask my siblings in Christ for support. We are to share with each other (Galatians 6:2), but sometimes we look the other way or we have no sympathy. We all need God’s care and a good church family, just as Jesus looked to the comfort of his close friends and his Father.
So, with my nervous stomach and concerns for my family and other things that come along, I could get very depressed if I let myself. I asked my general practitioner for help and he ran tests, then gave me meds. I still worry too much, although I excuse it by saying I am just concerned!
Worry is a normal human experience that everyone goes through. God can comfort us, if we ask for it. As we mature, we learn that letting go is essential. We have to say goodbye to worries and realize that we cannot control everything in our lives.
Although not an on-off switch per se, giving our troubles to the One who can answer them gives us relief and release. As wonderfully made as we are, we cannot fix ourselves. When we realize how dependent we are on God, when we remember Jesus, then we can begin to let the worries go. We may never switch it off, but we can still trust that God knows best.
Jesus promised to be with us always. That gives me hope, and perhaps the key to finding that elusive switch! All my hope is in Jesus, and I believe that will suffice.
Joyce Broyles is a retired School Librarian and resides in Jennings, LA.