I want to take a minute and share with you some notes from a sermon at our church a couple weeks ago. This topic hit close to home, because it was about anxiety and worry. And with all that has been happening lately, I have been returning to my worrying habits.
It’s easy to start to worry these days, especially when you are a single mom. There are so many things to worry about, when it comes to our kids and ourselves. We can also struggle with feelings of worthlessness; here are my experiences with those feelings: Worthy Or Worthless? – Single Mom Struggles
Worry has been my modus operandi ever since I was a kid. Sunday nights were torture for me, because I would get so worked up about school the next day. It wasn’t the actual school work that caused the anxiety; it was the social aspect of school, the wondering what would be said or done, would my clothes be “right” in the eyes of the other girls, would the boy I had a crush on notice me or would I make a fool of myself in his eyes again the next day, etc.
Life was rough back them. I have worked hard to get past the anxiety, and have made great strides. But every so often the old habits kick back in, and I have those sleepless nights again.
So if you are anything like me – I want to share these sermon notes that I am keeping handy lately. The main passage our pastor used was Matthew 6:25-34.
Matthew 6:25-34New Living Translation (NLT)
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
OK, so here’s what I get from those verses about anxiety and worry:
- Worry is unreasonable: we worry about the wrong things, we worry about things we can’t change, and all our worrying does is exaggerate the problem.
- Worry is unnatural (OK, maybe for some people; unfortunately it feels pretty natural to me)
- Worry is unhelpful; it’s useless to worry
- Worry is unnecessary; worrying indicates that you don’t have a real good handle on who God really is, his character as a loving Father, etc.
Another thing I remember from the sermon was how our pastor talked about anxiety and faith not being able to occupy the same space in our heart. As he was describing this, I had a mental picture of two magnets.
You know how when you were a kid, you used to use one magnet to push another magnet around? The two magnets would attract each other, but if you turned them around they would repel each other. When you moved one across the table the other one would move away from it. Well, I guess that’s how it is with anxiety and faith; if you allow worry to move into your heart, faith move out. But if you bring faith in, worry is the one that has to vacate.
So here are the final 3 things I have in my notes as “The Antidote to Worry:”
(1) Put God first in every are of my life,
(2) live just one day at a time, and
(3) trust God to care for things beyond my control.
It can be a tall order sometimes, but it’s worth it!
Oh, and one more thing: I loved the fact that our pastor used Exodus 14:14-15 with which to conclude the lesson.
14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”
In other words, “What are you standing around for?! Just chill, and keep on moving forward. I got this.” 🙂
OK, maybe I have taken a few liberties with the way God talked to Moses; but I think that’s how God would have said it (and does say it) to me. I need to relax and keep putting one foot in front of the other, and God will direct my steps.
If worry is a constant state of being for you as well, what do you worry most about? What are the things that keep you awake at night, or wake you up in the middle of the night – making it hard to get back to sleep? Maybe it’s time to have a heart-to-heart with God and give those worries and anxieties to Him. He’s the only one who can truly handle the weight of those fears and anxiety.
Tithing As A Widow – Can You Afford It?
God’s Goodness In Unexpected Places
How Giving Can Inspire You – Promises From Malachi 3:10
Resources for Praying Moms
Use my worksheet to start a prayer strategy for your children
Would you like some prayer, for yourself or your family? Is there a certain situation you are facing where you’d like some “prayer support”? Let me know, and I would be happy to add you to my prayer list. I know how difficult it is to be a solo mom, and feel like you are totally on your own. But you’re not – and we can all use prayer from time to time. Prayer requests are never posted anywhere – it’s just between you and me. I simply want to lift up other moms and be a blessing to them. I would be honored to pray for you and your needs! Contact me here with any prayer requests you may have.
- Worthy or Worthless – Single Mom Struggles
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- Tithing As A Widow – Can You Afford It?
- Anxiety – Don’t Let It Control You!
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- How God Blesses Broken Hearts – Dealing With Grief
Please share this article if you found it helpful. I’d love for other folks to be able to find it. Thanks!
Joan Merrell is a solo mom to two daughters, a widow, and a security technician at Oregon State Hospital. Oregon native, farm girl and 4H leader, maker of homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies, she balances (more or less) full-time work with caring for a home filled with a teenage daughter, 2 entitled cats, and a hyper German Shepherd. She enjoys gardening and hiking, reading Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti novels, and searches for a few spare minutes to communicate with her grown daughter and son-in-law on her Marco Polo app. Find out more about Joan here.
Some great advice! It’s unfortunate that so many of us worry incessantly- our minds can easily wander off and focus on fear and negative thoughts and before you know it, it has snowballed and turned into anxiety. When I feel this way, I remind myself to live one minute at a time, and trust that everything I need to know or do will happen with time. I find I get more anxious and stressed if I haven’t slept enough!