Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. [Proverbs 4:23 (NCV)]
You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. [Matthew 6:27 (NCV)]
As I look out the window, I can see the cars and trucks speeding off to their various destinations. Meanwhile, I am at the gym, feverishly pumping away on the elliptical and going nowhere fast. What really annoys me is that, no matter where I put it, my Fitbit doesn’t fully credit me for my steps or distance. If I’m going to break a sweat and cover a couple of miles on that pitiless machine, I want credit for all my work! Next to me is my husband pedaling the stationary bike. Like me, he’s expending a great deal of energy to go absolutely nowhere and his Fitbit, like mine, won’t properly acknowledge his effort!
It occurs to me that worry is a lot like running on the elliptical or riding the stationary bike. We expend a lot of time and energy when we fret and fuss but all that effort gets us nowhere and accomplishes absolutely nothing. Moreover, we don’t even get credit for the time we spend doing it!
At least, we get stronger and fitter when we exercise; the opposite is true of worry. Along with stealing precious hours, worry can steal our health. Stress hormones like cortisol boost blood sugar levels and triglycerides and can cause fatigue, headaches, nausea, and shortness of breath. Excessive worrying and chronic anxiety can have even more serious consequences: suppression of the immune system, coronary artery disease, digestive disorders, and heart attack.
While God has blessed us with many things, including gyms, elliptical machines and stationary bikes, let us remember that worry, fear, stress and anxiety are not from Him and have no part in a Christian’s life. While the time we expend exercising (and getting nowhere fast) is not wasted, time expended in worry is. The time we spend in worry would be better spent on our knees in prayer—for it’s in prayer that we give Him our concerns and get His peace in return.
“I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” sang the Rolling Stones in 1965. Back in 520 BC, the Jews of Jerusalem were probably singing their own version of that song. Sixteen years earlier, upon their return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon, they had started to rebuild the temple just as God had instructed them to do. Within two years, however, construction had stopped. Granted, they had hostile neighbors who, fearing a prosperous Jewish state, harassed them. In actuality, though, they were more to blame for their delay than were their political opponents. Questioning God’s timing, they’d grown discouraged, lost focus and become more concerned about building their own homes than finishing God’s house. God sent a message to the people through the prophet Haggai pointing out that the harder the people worked for themselves, the less they had to show for it. By ignoring God and fulfilling their needs first, the Jews were destined to remain unsatisfied. Moreover, God was angry that He had been ignored. So angry, in fact, that He sent a drought to destroy their crops and livestock.
“Be mindful to be a blessing…” After reading Paul’s words as translated in the Classic Amplified Bible, I thought of a comic I recently saw in the newspaper. (Oddly, I get lots of inspiration from the comics and I’m not sure what that says about my intellect.) Nevertheless, in “Nancy,” written by Guy Gilchrist, it’s Nancy who is reading the comics page. The speech balloon says, “Today’s Motivation: Let your presence be a gift to all you meet!” The next panel shows her walking down the street. Instead of her typical hair ribbon, she is wearing an enormous bow and a gift tag that says, “To you!”
What makes us happy? Could it be a phone call from a good friend? Is it when we’ve made a profit in the stock market or received a large commission check? Are we pleased when our checkbook balances on the first attempt or when the accountant informs us that a large tax refund will be in the mail? Are we happy when someone sends us flowers or our child brings home a good report card? Does finding the ideal gift for our spouse’s birthday or receiving the perfect gift for ours give us happiness? Would we be happier if we could enjoy two weeks at a luxury resort or had a state-of-the-art home theatre or gourmet kitchen?
Upon receiving an invitation from a business acquaintance to a “Celebrate Life” picnic, my first response was “Who died?” The words “It is just for fun!” along with the promise of pony rides, moonwalk, magician and games seemed rather odd for a Celebration of Life. That this was the 19th such picnic further confused me. Fortunately, accompanying the invitation was a brief note explaining that nineteen years ago his son had overcome serious health issues and every year since his family has gathered with friends and family to celebrate. Rather than celebrating the life of someone who died, they were celebrating that he lived!
Devotions of the Heart 