I’m confessing today: I tend to worry about things. I take things to heart too often. I let people grind me who shouldn’t. Although I’m normally a very easy going person, as of late, I get stressed too easily. I normally let things roll off of me, but lately a few things have stuck. I’m in a high profile position in my church. With that high profile comes some MAJOR targets printed on my front and back. There are more than a few who choose to shoot at those targets… frequently. And it started to bother me. Worry started hanging around… then started knocking… then at some point I opened the door.

I carry this worry as stress in my body. It causes back pain, weight gain, heart trouble, and digestion problems. It causes tension headaches and all around poor health. And yet, I still worry.

In the last two weeks, I’ve heard three different words from God on worry. Today I’m confessing: I GET IT.  Jesus said, “Who, by worrying, can add one cubit to their stature?” In other words: Who by worrying can add one inch to their height? There’s NO point in worrying. Someone once said, “Worry is interest paid in advance on something you may never own.” And yet, I do. I’m not alone either. I talk to people all the time with the same problem. Which begs the question…

WHY WORRY???

Here’s why. It’s nothing profound. But I truly feel it is the truth. FEAR. Fear is the reason we worry. Fear of what MIGHT happen. Fear of what others think. Fear of what we should or shouldn’t do.

Fear is a sin. At least this kind of fear is. Fear causes doubt and that doubt leads to worry. That worry leads to weariness and that weariness leads to paralysis.  Thus we have satan’s plan. To paralyze us! To keep us from acting and fulfilling God’s plan for our lives!

Well… today I’m declaring victory over satan’s plan. I’m rebuking fear and replacing it with the opposite: FAITH. I’m choosing to believe God has my best interest at heart. I’m choosing to believe that He will protect me from the negativity of others. I’m choosing to believe that it’s infinitely worse to worry about something and never try it, rather than believing God for what He said and attempting great things for His Kingdom.  I’m choosing to reject worry, which changes NOTHING about the situation and embracing FAITH which can MOVE MOUNTAINS.

How about it? What do we have to lose? “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

In other words, if the God of ALL the Universe is on my side then:

1. I don’t have to worry about money any longer because God (who owns it ALL and controls all the wealth in the world) is my Provider. I have the wealthiest Father in the universe providing for my every need.

2. I don’t have to worry about what others think because God not only loves me… He LIKES me, too.

3. I don’t have to worry about succeeding in the work and dreams He’s given me because God, Who began the good work in me, will be faithful to see it to completion. Since it started with him, it will be brought to successful completion BY Him as well.

4. I don’t have to worry about my church, because it isn’t mine, it’s His Bride.

5. I don’t have to worry about my family and friends because they’re His too.

I just need to remain faithful to Jesus and HE takes care of the rest. (John 15:1-9)

I just fired “worry” from my life. If you’ve been employing this worthless worker, I encourage you to terminate him today, too.