When You Feel a Worry Coming On
Friday, August 18, 2023
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isa. 26:3, NIV.
Lyndon B. Johnson, former president of the United States, once told an audience in Stonewall, Texas, that he was feeling fine because he had followed the advice of an old woman who once said, "When I walks, I walks slowly. When I sits, I sits loosely. And when I feels worry comin' on, I just goes to sleep." That old woman was not a psychologist, but she gave great advice to those who live in a high-tech, high-stress world plagued with depression, worry, and anxiety.
First, "When I walks, I walks slowly." In other words, don't rush through life. Slow down enough to enjoy the scenery and stop to smell the flowers along the way.
Second, "When I sits, I sits loosely." Don't get too comfortable with what you have, who you are, or what you do. Life is difficult, and sometimes circumstances beyond your control can rip your security away and force change upon you. It's best to be flexible in times like this. As those in the West Indies say, "Hang loose, mon"!
And third, "When I feels worry comin' on, I just goes to sleep." Sleep is a great battery charger. As life falls apart and you don't think you can cope, one of the best things you can do is get some sleep. Things always look brighter in the morning!
God has some great advice too. Read again Jesus' words in Matthew 6:27-35. Why do you worry, since if God takes care of little things such as birds and flowers, He can take care of you even more? All He asks you to do is live one day at a time.
Peter underscores this same message in 1 Peter 5:7, in which he says we should give our cares to God. Letting go and allowing Christ to take care of you and your problems isn't as easy as it sounds if you're used to fixing things yourself. But God says if you'll just trust in Him, He'll give you perfect peace. Why not give it a try?
Give all your worries to the Lord and trust that He will answer your prayers, and He will give you perfect peace.
Lyndon B. Johnson, former president of the United States, once told an audience in Stonewall, Texas, that he was feeling fine because he had followed the advice of an old woman who once said, "When I walks, I walks slowly. When I sits, I sits loosely. And when I feels worry comin' on, I just goes to sleep." That old woman was not a psychologist, but she gave great advice to those who live in a high-tech, high-stress world plagued with depression, worry, and anxiety.
First, "When I walks, I walks slowly." In other words, don't rush through life. Slow down enough to enjoy the scenery and stop to smell the flowers along the way.
Second, "When I sits, I sits loosely." Don't get too comfortable with what you have, who you are, or what you do. Life is difficult, and sometimes circumstances beyond your control can rip your security away and force change upon you. It's best to be flexible in times like this. As those in the West Indies say, "Hang loose, mon"!
And third, "When I feels worry comin' on, I just goes to sleep." Sleep is a great battery charger. As life falls apart and you don't think you can cope, one of the best things you can do is get some sleep. Things always look brighter in the morning!
God has some great advice too. Read again Jesus' words in Matthew 6:27-35. Why do you worry, since if God takes care of little things such as birds and flowers, He can take care of you even more? All He asks you to do is live one day at a time.
Peter underscores this same message in 1 Peter 5:7, in which he says we should give our cares to God. Letting go and allowing Christ to take care of you and your problems isn't as easy as it sounds if you're used to fixing things yourself. But God says if you'll just trust in Him, He'll give you perfect peace. Why not give it a try?
Give all your worries to the Lord and trust that He will answer your prayers, and He will give you perfect peace.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
Previous | Today | Next