Want to win the war on worry? Begin with the admiration of God. Rejoice in the Lord’s strength, faithfulness, and accomplishments. Rejoice in his creation, his incarnation, and his act of redemption. As you do, you reinforce your faith. Anxiety decreases as our understanding of the Lord increases.
Think of it this way. Suppose your dad is the world’s foremost orthopedic surgeon. People travel from distant countries for him to treat them. With the same confidence that a mechanic changes spark plugs, your dad removes and replaces hips, knees, and shoulders.
ANXIETY DECREASES AS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LORD INCREASES.
At ten years of age, you are a bit young to comprehend the accomplishments of a renowned surgeon. But you’re not too young to stumble down the stairs and twist your ankle. You are weeks away from your first school dance. This is no time for crutches. No time for limping.
Into the room walks your dad, still wearing his surgical scrubs.
“Dad, I’ll never walk again!”
“Yes, you will.”
“No one can help me!”
“I can.”
“No one knows what to do!”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t!”
Your dad lifts his head and asks you a question. “Do you know what I do for a living?”
Actually, you don’t. You know he goes to the hospital every day. But you don’t really know what your father does.
“So,” he says as he places a bag of ice on your ankle, “it’s time for you to learn.” The next day you have a ringside seat for a procedure in which he reconstructs a patient’s ankle. He is the commandant of the operating room. He never hesitates or seeks advice. He just does it.
As the two of you ride home that evening, you look at your father. You see him in a different light. If he can conduct orthopedic surgery, he can likely treat a swollen ankle. So you ask, “You think I’ll be okay for the dance?”
“Yes, you’ll be fine.”
This time you believe him. Your anxiety decreases as your understanding of your father increases.
Here is what I think: our biggest fears are sprained ankles to God.
Here is what else I think: a lot of people live with unnecessary anxiety over temporary limps.