It’s a one-liner from a movie that I can’t get out of my head.
(This is what happens when I watch movies, people. Even the animated ones. Lines become blog posts in my head. This one I’ve been thinking about since I first saw this with the kids months ago.)
In the movie, The Croods, the ultra-paranoid cave-dad lives with this motto: “Never not be afraid.” According to Grub, fear keeps his family from dying, but in the end he realizes that it’s also what’s kept them from living.
Never not be afraid.
Is that your motto too?
It’s hard to say out loud, I know. I had to admit it to myself at about this same time last year. {Hello. My name is Carrie and I fear more than I trust.}
… but is it true?
Does fear dominate your life? Influence every choice you make? Paralyze you? Keep you from really living?
How about worry, fears younger sister? Maybe your motto looks more like this:
Never not be worried.
A couple of weeks ago, God opened my eyes to something new about worry. Something I’ve never seen before.
I was reading through what I call “the worry verses” in Matthew 6:25-34.
It’s starts with, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about what you eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear …” and ends with, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”
You know, “the worry verses.” {If you don’t know them, you should read them. Slowly. I particularly like The Message translation’s version. It brings this verse to life in a very “Ya, I’m talking to you” kind of way.}
Ok. Great. I won’t worry about what I eat, drink or wear. But can I worry about big things like losing a loved one, that relationship that seems beyond repair or if my children are going to go to prison or need counseling when they get older?
Do you walk away from that text saying, “I know. Worry is a sin”, then give yourself permission to worry about the things that seem important to you, the really big stuff that needs worrying about?
I must because I can worry with the best of them.
But then I read this verse, tucked in towards the end of the text: For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (verse 33)
Other translations say:
“Outsiders made themselves frantic.” {I have been frantic with worry.}
“These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers” {My thoughts have been dominated by these things.}
“Those who don’t know God fuss over these things.” {Oh, I’ve fussed.}
Essentially this verse is saying this: “Worry: That’s what the godless do. That’s what those without a God do. But you … Child, you have a God in heaven who loves you. Who knows what you need before you even ask (Matt. 6:8). Who sees your need before it even arises and makes provision for it. His name is Jehovah Jireh – the Lord Provides. So do not worry.”
Wo. That was a wake up call for me. A call to ruthlessly eliminated worry from my life. A call to lean into Jesus (my greatest provision) and allow Him to live His worry free life through me.
Friends, worry has become a very normal part of living. It’s one sin we’ve opened the door to, and I think it’s consuming many of us.
I don’t want to worry anymore.
My plan of attack: anytime a thought pops into my head, inviting me to worry and stew, I’m going to remind myself who my God is. I’m going to remind myself who my Provider is. I’m going to choose to lean my full weight on Jesus, who never worried a day in His life.
No more Never Not Be Afraid.
No more Never Not Be Worried.
It’s time to leave that to the godless and choose to really live.
Anyone else ready to be done with worry too?
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