Anxiety, worry and fear are no strangers to me. My mother was a product of the Depression and was a chronic worrier. I inherited my share of her fears. There is plenty to worry about in life. At each stage of our lives we have different worry demons to combat. As we get older, and realize that we have less and less control over health and financial issues we worry about end of life issues. What will become of us when we are left alone? We fear poverty and pain, neglect and loneliness.

Corrie ten Boom wrote Don't Wrestle, Just Nestleon the subject of anxiety, worry and fear. It has been republished with two others of her books under the title, Jesus is Victor. This is a selection of her thoughts on these thorns in the flesh that we all experience and need help to overcome.

There is a great deal of difference between worry and concern, and we must realize this. Concern makes us do something to ease the situation. It moves us to take constructive action. But worry burdens our minds and bodies without helping us to find a solution to the problem.

The Serenity Prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr identifies the difference between worry and concern. "O God, grant us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the courage to change what can be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference."There are two things we should not worry about: the things we can change (we need to get busy and do something about these), and the things we cannot change (no amount of worry will help these). Instead we should let God give us the courage and strength to master the unavoidable, for with God, nothing is impossible.

"Worry is sin; a black, murderous, God-defying, Christ-rejecting sin; worry about anything, at any time whatever. We will never know victory over worry and anxiety until we begin to treat it as sin. For such it is. It is a deep-seated distrust of the Father, who assures us again and again that even the falling sparrow is in his tender care." (Charles G. Trumbull)

Worry is sin and the enemy of faith. To overcome worry we must repent of it and ask forgiveness for it. We must be rid of it. Worry or fear or anxiety needs to be replaced with the filling of the Holy Spirit. "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Worry is utterly useless. It never serves a good purpose. It brings no good results. One cannot think or see clearly when worrying. Let pagans worry, if they will, but we must not, for we have a living Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, and his conquering power. His victory can be our victory. Life at best is brief, and there is much to be accomplished.

When we are worrying we are not trusting. Yet we who have burdens and responsibilities are inclined to worry. Again, it is important that we recognize the enemy. Worry and depression are sister and brother. Worry is a demon, but as children of God we have nothing to fear. Worry is an old man with bended head, carrying a load of feathers which he thinks are lead. Why don't we try something lighter than worry? Worrying people are like tightrope walkers going over a rope from the past to the future. They balance between hope and fear. In one hand they carry a sack with the undigested past, in the other hand a sack with the anticipated future.

Anxiety, fear and worry are the result of our unwillingness to trust God. To worry is the same as saying to God, 'I don't believe you.' Do you fear for your finances? Are you afraid for your health or your loved ones? Do you lie awake and fear your fears? Listen to what God says. 'Give your burdens to the Lord. He will carry them. He will never let the righteous fall.' (Ps.55:22) "Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:17) 'And it is God who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for us.' (Phil.4:19) "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"

Fear is the atmosphere of worry. Nothing weakens us as much as fear. On the other hand, nothing weakens the tempter as much as a quiet, bold, steady fearlessness. Satan cannot operate in the atmosphere of trust.

We are not to worry about the future. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) "When we worry, we are carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength; carrying two days in one. We are moving into tomorrow ahead of time. There is just one day in the calendar of action - today. The Holy Spirit does not give a clear blueprint of our whole lives, but only of the moments, one by one."

"The folly of being anxious about the near future is just as stupid as worrying about what will happen about a thousand years hence. We have to live in the present moment, because we can do nothing about the past, and God is doing everything about the future." (George MacDonald)

I took a burden to the Lord to cast and leave it there.
I knelt and told him of my plight, and wrestled deep in prayer.
But rising up to go my way I felt a deep despair,
For as I tried to trudge along, my burden still was there.

Why didn't you take my burden, Lord?
Oh, won't you take it, please?
Again I asked the Lord for help, his answering words were these:
My child, I want to help you out I long to take your load.
I want to bear your burdens too as you walk along life's road.

But this you must remember, this one thing you must know....
I cannot take your burden, until you let it go.
(Betty Curti)

Can you "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths"? (Proverbs 3:5,6) Jesus said, "Trust in God; trust also in me." (John 14:1) Can you? Will you?

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