Meditation Or Worry?
Worry Is A Fast Getaway On A Wooden Horse!
“And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” Philippians 4:8
Round And Round
Simply saying, “Don’t worry,” rarely helps someone who is already worried.
Most of us don’t want to worry, although we’ve had enough practice to make it an Olympic event!
We can rehearse an unwanted outcome until we’re exhausted by something that hasn’t happened.
Like that wooden horse, we’ve done plenty of moving without getting anywhere.
What Are We Dwelling On?
Meditating on God is thinking about Him and His ways repeatedly. We linger over His goodness, remember His faithfulness, and give our attention to the One who loves us.
Worry uses that same attention differently.
Worry is thinking over and over about the outcome we don’t want.
We will think about something.
The invitation isn’t to stop thinking, but to bring our thoughts into conversation with Jesus rather than leave them alone with everything that frightens us.
Keeping Company With Him
We can tell Abba what concerns us without pretending we already feel peaceful. We can remember how His kindness has reached us through others and let Scripture remind us of His heart.
When worry returns, we can return our attention to Him, too.
Our communion with Him isn’t interrupted because we have something troubling to talk about; that is something we get to share with Him.
Faith is fruitful thinking, and worry is fruitless thinking.
As we dwell on Jesus, His peace gives us room to listen, receive love, and enjoy the people beside us instead of spending the whole day somewhere our fears have taken us.
Reflection
What outcome have I been rehearsing?
What expression of Abba’s goodness could I linger over instead?
What would it mean to share this concern with Him today?
Prayer
Abba Father, meet me in my worries. Help me dwell on Your goodness and enjoy the peace of sharing this day with You. Amen.