Worry: Bondage That God Never Wanted For Us.

By: Alexis Newlin

​Worry.

It’s an old frenemy of many of us, one that I would love to be rid of.

Worry says I must ponder a thing over and over again. To not do so means that I am just ignoring it. If I don’t think about it constantly, I don’t care. I don’t want to fix the problem.

I must fixate on it constantly.

These are such lies.

Yet it is my broken belief system. I’m not alone; many people struggle with anxiety and worry.

Worry, which is the ugly second cousin to anxiety is defined as: 

• (v)give way to anxiety or unease; allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles (Lexico*).
• (n) a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems (Lexico*).

I feel this definition defines my breed of worry best: (of a dog or other carnivorous animal) tear at, gnaw on, or drag around with the teeth (Lexico*)

When I am wrapped in the clinches of worry, it feels as if I am being torn at and dragged around. Everything feels ripped away: my joy, my peace, my knowing that God is in control. 

I’ve been told that to worry is to rock in a rocking chair, expecting to get somewhere, yet you’re going nowhere. Now, this is the truth. Worry is unfruitful. The only fruit it produces is anxiety, discomfort, irritability, illness.

It is not the way God wants me or anyone else to live. ​

This morning, my old frenemy decided to visit. I’d lost my debit card the night before, and although I’d immediately reported it lost, I still worried that something could still happen.

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 As I sat, coming up with every worse scenario possible, even ones outside of the lost debit card, I found myself wrapped up once again in the worry trap. 

Thankfully, God came to the rescue. He asked me why I was so anxious. Then he kindly pointed me to Matthew 6:25-34, and verse 27 stood out: 

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (ESV)

Worry does not add to your life. Instead, it takes it away.

Just look at some the symptoms of anxiety:

• Having an increased heart rate
• Trembling
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating 
• Having trouble sleeping
• Stomach problems​

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God knows how damaging anxiety and worry can be to our bodies. That’s why He wants us to avoid it. 

So how do we avoid anxiety and worry? We trust God. We have faith that he is in control; we remember he takes care of everything.

If He cares for the birds and the small blades of grass, how much more does He care for us? We have a heavenly Father who loves us so much and take care of every need we have. Every. Single. One. All we have to do is ask Him. 

Bring your burdens to God; don’t carry them on your own; we are simply not meant to.

*https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/worry

​Alexis is a 36-year-old lover of Jesus, loose leaf tea, roller coasters, writing stories and going on adventures. Originally from Marietta, GA, Alexis now resides in Fresno, CA. You can always find Alexis outdoors enjoying a walk in her neighborhood, scoping out the newest food truck, hanging out with friends or planning her next trip. Her church, The Revival Center, and family mean the world to her. They have supported her through the loss of her mother and her own cancer diagnosis. Alexis enjoys encouraging others by reminding them not to look at what they see, but to always look to God, who is working in the unseen. Alexis currently writes for several online ministries and just launchedThe Brave Podcast in January 2020. Connect with Alexis further by clicking here!

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