“No, really…how do you stop worrying?”
That’s basically the response when I offered a one-trick answer to an impossible question. “That dream stuff sounds all good and everything, but what happens in the REAL world?”
Well, I don’t think following Jesus is idealistic or unrealistic. I do believe He offered practical, real-world guidance, but that doesn’t mean His way is easy.
And I do believe Remember The Dream is a good way to keep the big picture in mind and avoid getting trapped in worry about details. But maybe there’s more than one key to reducing wasted worry.
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As a teacher, I learned another key to stopping the destructive cycle of worry.
Let Go
A lot of what we worry about is stuff we believe we’re supposed to manage–other people’s behavior or opinions, politics, world affairs, and other external issues over which we have little or no influence. We obsess and fuss and worry when logic tells us we can’t do anything to alter the outcome.
My teacher classes talked a lot about classroom management–code for controlling kids’ behavior. I quickly discovered I could either focus on what kids learned or how they behaved, and I decided I was there to teach. So I stopped trying to control their behavior.
My classroom was at times a bit “out of control” by conventional standards and I chose not to worry about it. It wasn’t perfect, but mostly things worked out well.
And all that energy that would have gone into maintainig control…went into building relationships and creating quality lessons and answering real questions.
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Jesus asked, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
You and I don’t control most of the external factors that impact us. It’s the truth, whether we like it or not, and mostly we don’t like it. But it’s truth, regardless.
Jesus’ guidance? “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
When we’re worried, let’s try to…
Let Go
Remember The Dream
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