I am a worrier. I can take a comment, an opportunity, an idea and turn it into a choose-your-own-adventure story the likes of which you never read in elementary school. What starts innocently as a new thought in my head, a little piece of truth, is turned, worried, mulled over, until any shred of actual reality is gone, and I’m left with a pile of
What if…
Then what…
How will we…
What would I say…
It will keep me up at night, invade my thoughts at work, distract me from my time with my family. I have worried about someone’s tone, an email received, an email not received, my daughter’s health, my marriage, my job, my weight, my worth, the dust bunnies under the sofa, and when to start potty training. All before lunch.
At church last week our pastor made the following comment: “If you can worry, you can meditate on Scripture.” It’s a change of focus, using an old habit for a new outcome, and one my anxious brain is ready to try. If I can play out a million possible scenarios of untruth, then surely my brain can refocus on Truth.
When the old habits come forward and my mind grasps at make-believe in an effort to control the uncontrollable, I’ll seek Truth. I’ll focus on what is true, what is known, what is beautiful, what is encouraging, what is uplifting. I will go on my knees and in front of my community confessing when my mind blows something out of reality and ask them to set me straight. I will deny the enemy the right to distract and discourage.
I will swap my “What ifs” for “What is.”
I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday today. If you’re visiting from her site – welcome! If you’re a “regular,” I’d love for you to pop over to Lisa-Jo’s page and visit some of my friends. They write good, brave words over there in 5(ish) minutes each week 😉
YES!! And He is IN the “what is,” waiting to encounter us and give us everything we need for what is. 🙂 Great post, Crystal. Love it.
Hmmm. What good advice your Pastor has given! Might have to try more of that myself 🙂
So true…we all do this..especially most of us women…we specialize in reading and adding to the lines, creating our own obsessive paranoia…so guilty of this. You’re right time to worry we can meditate…take every thought captive..and this is truly an exercise in discipline…its harder to fix a mind on Him sometimes and refuse the anxiety…it takes courage, discipline, and letting go of control…thanks for the honest thoughts!
I have spent so much of my days focused on the “what ifs” but knowing He has better “what is” out there for me is where my hope is. Thanks for reminding me that that is where I need to focus my eyes and my heart.
Surely my brain can refocus on the truth. Very powerful words there, Crystal. I’ve been concentrating this year on memorizing scripture. It makes such a difference when i am intentional about working on my verses every day! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Dear Crystal
You can say that again. Why focus on the negative when you use much less energy just to shift your mind to the Truth, and the wonder of His a Word!
Blessings XX
Mia
This is an awesome post! Wow!
Where’s the LOVE it button? Oh, we are cut from the same cloth and if we are they we actually worry about WAY more than that before lunch lol.
Thanks for your honesty!!!! And that has always been an excellent scripture. I think I need a 3X5 card of it by my bed, my mirror, in the car… I used to use that a lot and am in need of it again.
Have a great Friday!
Sue
A great reminder, Crystal! I need to dwell on “what is” as well, and not give in to discouragement. The “what ifs” can consume my thoughts, but I’m learning to say no.
Hi Crystal, I love this wisdom – “I will deny the enemy the right to distract and discourage.” Need to remember this when I worry.
yes, swapping what if’s for what is. That’s it, right. So simple, and yet…. thanks for this reminder.
Swapping your “what ifs” for “what is”… oh yeah, I think I’ll do that right along with you, my friend! Love your words, as always. But I love your new head shots from Allume even more. They capture you so very well. 🙂 xxoo
What a beautiful reminder of the power and truth of God’s word!
So… needed to read this exactly when I did this morning. I have an exam in 3 hours that I have been STRESSING about…. So today instead of worry about what ifs and I’m looking at the what is – I did the readings, I took notes, I attended lectures and I particpated in conversations, as well as studied and God made me intelligent… The what is, is so much better than the stress of what if… Love your God-timed words friend.
I need to do that right along with you. Thank you for sharing that. It very much spoke to my heart.
Love it! “I will deny the enemy the right to distract and discourage.” So important. So challenging to remember in the moment. Thank you.