The Sandbag Times Issue No: 21

Have Faith
Worry
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
Matthew 6:27
Jesus, some believe He is the messiah, some that He was a wise
teacher of His day. One thing is for sure when He spoke, His words
were always filled with wisdom.
Worry is something most, if not all of us, do. Some from time to
time, some all the time. We worry about money, health, security,
safety, the future. We worry about ourselves and our family members
and friends.
disorders like IBS, skin complaints, heart palpitations, breathing
problems, insomnia, anxiety & depression, it can supress the immune
system, cause muscle tension, short term memory loss, premature
coronary heart disease, even heart attacks. That in itself is a worrying
list! So when God tells us to ‘cast our anxieties on Him’, He is trying
to help our well being. So why don’t we just stop worrying? Easier
said than done, I hear you say, and I totally agree.
Responsibilities. I am a parent, thus I have a responsibility
toward my children, to ensure that they are fed, that they have a
place to live, that they can grow up as carefree and as secure as
possible. I have a responsibility to ensure I have enough money to
cover the essentials, I have to ensure that I know how to keep them
safe & well. However the utmost responsibility I have is to ensure
that they are loved. Can I do this through material things, buying
them what they desire? To be honest it is difficult not to fall into the
trap of feeling that if you can’t get your child those shoes they want
or to pay for the holiday they’d like then you have failed. Maybe you
work hard, long hours, because you have to earn the money to cover
the essentials let alone having enough to buy those desirable ‘things’.
Then you haven’t got the time you’d like, to spend with your family,
with your friends. Your initial worry then produces a further worry
and the cycle continues.
Maybe you need to be honest with a friend about something and
you’re worrying because you aren’t sure how they will take it, or
maybe you’re worried about an exam you need to sit (this is the
current situation my daughter faces), or about not getting the
results you need. How am I going to pay that bill, What if I let my
child go out with his friends and then something bad happens?
Worry, Worry, Worry.
Expectations. People always expect things from us. Expect us to
behave a certain way, react a certain way, and to meet all of our
numerous obligations. We also often have high expectations of
ourselves. (I know that I expect more from myself than I would from
anyone else). So, when we struggle to meet others’ expectations, or
indeed those we have of ourselves, it causes more worry.
The worry cycle. It starts off as what many of us would deem
reasonable concerns, but it grows and grows. The worry becomes
uncontrollable and can be destructive! Did you know though that...
Worry can overwhelm us. It can make us miserable and it can rob
us of joy. I know that when I am worrying about something, I can
become so consumed by it, that I miss out on all the little things that
surround me each day. Like the beauty of nature, the air I breathe, the
delicious food I eat, the lovely hot water when I shower, the gift of
friendship, the funny things my kids say and do, the love that
surrounds me. This list could go on and on. I am thankful for all that
I have, but when I am worrying my head seems to be so full of anxiety
that I am blinded to these joys.
The verse that I quoted from Matthew makes a lot of sense. Can I
add anything to my life by worrying? NO. If anything, by worrying
I could shorten my life. It is a well known fact that stress can cause
many health issue: high blood pressure, tension headaches, digestive
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