I know what you’re thinking. “That’s easier said than done,” right? The imperative sentence, “don’t worry about the future” in today’s world seems like a tall order.
So much is happening these days:
• Pandemics/epidemics
• Mass shootings
• Economic crisis
• Weather-related disasters
• Wars and threats of conflicts worldwide
From one day to the next, you don’t know what you might wake up to, with everything so uncertain and unpredictable. Consider how different of a morning it was on September 11th, 2001. The day before was normal. Things can change in a heartbeat.
Because of that unpredictability, it's tempting to let anxious thoughts take over. As you might have already experienced, breaking these thought patterns can be extremely difficult.
The good news is, because of the power of God, we don't have to stay stuck in anxiety.
On this page, based on encouragement from the Scriptures and specifically the words of Jesus, I will present 5 steps to overcoming worry about the future. Such truths apply whether you are trying to live a worry-free life or want to help someone else find peace.
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his ]life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. Meditate on God’s love for you
The way we can do this is by reflecting on the:
• Birds of the air
• Lilies of the field
Think of how God takes care of them. The implication is not only God’s love for you personally, but how much more valuable you are as a human being than they.
2. Release control to the Lord
With the uncertainties of the future, the best thing to do is turn everything over to the Lord and His control. To live in a constant state of anxiety about the future can lead to unhealthy results:
• mentally
• emotionally
• spiritually
• physically
So, decide to trust the Lord. Then…
3. Take one day at a time and live in the moment
Just like living in the past can negatively affect your health, obsessing about the future feeds anxiety. Staying in the present moments helps you refocus on God and center yourself in His peace. With each moment, do what you need to do to the best of your ability with the strength the Lord provides.
4. Pray throughout each day with thanksgiving
Philippians 4:4 says not to be anxious but present your requests to God with thanksgiving. You enjoy His peace as a result.
5. Focus on things above—remembering that earthly life is temporary
The Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:2 says set your affection on things above, not on the things of this earth. What is earthly is temporary, but faith, hope, love—these are eternal.
6. Surround yourself with faith-filled people
Not surprisingly, I’ve found it helpful to be around people who speak words of encouragement. Surrounding yourself with those kinds of individuals can inspire you to keep the faith.
7. Take care of yourself daily and consistently
What I find helps overcome worry is a daily continual process of self-care. In addition to taking care of oneself spiritually, apply the following:
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On the following page, I list 10 verses that will help you break anxiety-related thoughts and patterns in your life--something that enabled me to slay what used to be a giant in my own life:
Bible Verses About Anxiety (encouragementscriptures.com)