Time Spent Worrying

I have wasted a lot of my life worrying. Another way of phrasing it is that I have lost a lot of my life worrying. There are a lot of minutes or days that could have been spent more wisely if worry would not have been present.

Some worries were brought on by myself (i.e. procrastination) where as other moments were not (weather, bad news). Either way it has caused me to lose time that will never be gained back. However, worry for any reason causes one to focus on themselves and their desires too much.

Worrying often points back to how "I" will be able to accomplish something. Some things may be valid, within this context, but there are a lot of situations in which worrying does nothing to help the situation, but God does! That brings us to this week's quote...

Often times worrying is trying to figure out what to do to save yourself rather than trusting in God for deliverance. ~ J. Meyer

How much time have you wasted in worry? Probably more than you should have. How many of those times of worry did you gain anything? Probably not many.

As you can see there is a lot of truth found in the quote. With life situations that are basically "out of your hands" you should be trusting God He will take care and accept the outcome. It is probably easier said than done.

Now it's your turn...How does the verse impact you?

Are You Rusty?

Kids tend to like to play with dad's tools or older siblings toys, but they have a tendency to forget to put them up. I can remember getting into trouble by leaving either my father's or my brother's things outside. If a metal item, like a tool or BB gun, is left long enough, it can start to rust. Rusting is an oxidation of the metal, but it also gives a bad appearance to the item.

My son, a three-year old, is no exception. He also likes to play with my tools, but has a tendency to play with them a short time, put them down to go get something else or go to a neighbor's house. This causes him to forget about the item he was playing with and sometimes it is a "rustable" item. I have found screwdrivers and pliers outside my toolbox getting rusty. This summer he decided to put some toys and my tools in our "kiddie pool." I found a pair of pliers left in there after he had cleaned it all out.

Unprotected metal mixed with moisture creates rust. The longer the moisture stays "on" the metal, the more it will continue to rust. Rust will sit there and continue to oxidize, weakening the metal. This thought brings us to this week's quote...

It is not work that kills men, it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more on a man than he can bear. But worry is rust upon the blade. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Are you worried about something? I know I am. There are all kinds of things to be concerned about. Our car recently had some issues - so each time I drive it, especially if long distance, I am concerned. There is not a local dealer for my make of car, so I don't know if someone really can look at it effectively. That is just one of the many things that concern me. And the thing is, it sits. I may get side tracked with daily tasks, but the concerns are essentially still there.

This weakens my potential. I know that if I could just have some concerns off my plate, I would be more free to be more effective - as a person, a husband, a father, a breadwinner, and as a minister. The good news is, there are times when things are taken off your list of concerns, it is like a grinder taking off some rust off the blade. That is always a good feeling.

There are times when I give it to God and feel a lot of relief. That is the real "rust remover." Philippians 4:6-7 keeps me on check to give things to God, and peace will come as a result.

I enjoy being able to have the rust removed! I would guess you do too. Maybe one of the answers would not be to leave our tasks of life outside of God. Keep putting them back where they belong - close to God, and they will stay rust free. Just a thought...

Do Your Best - Don't Worry About the Rest

My parents always told me to "do my best". They didn't expect perfection, but just that I try my best. As I have chosen a field which involves constant expectations, I still keep in mind what my parents said to me many years ago. This week's quote inspired me to do my best and not worry about the rest...

I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. ~ Abraham Lincoln

There was another phrase my parent's said a lot, "Don't worry about others, worry about yourself". Pairing that with the first phrase creates a concept that when you are trying to do all you can, what other people think is meaningless.

We must be confident enough in our own decisions that we are not overly concerned with what other people think. I know I am not perfect and I make mistakes, but I am confident of the goal that I aimed to achieve. As a minister, there is never a time that I do something that I do not have a purpose and a goal in mind.

As you go through life, may you "do your best" and be able to look back and not worry about anyone who may say something against you.

Doing my best...

At Just the Right Time - Exodus 14:10-14

This year's Olympics were filled with some exciting finishes, specifically in swimming. Michael Phelps has gone down in history as one of the greatest male swimmers for the US of all time. In a couple of his races, he or his team, won by a fraction of a second. Which means, at just the right time, a person on the US team touched the wall before the opponent's. There are times which God does the same thing when it comes to dealing with us.

Yesterday, we looked at the text where Moses and the Israelites are on the verge of being captured by the Egyptian army. The Israelites have the Red Sea in front, mountains to side, and an army behind. They're doomed! However, at just the right time, God allows the waters to recede, forming two walls of water and dry ground underneath. Thus giving them a chance to cross over, free from the Egyptian army. Here are some applications to choose from in applying the lesson...

1. New situations make us uncomfortable. When you are involved in something new, the old life may seem better because you were used to it. Whether you are moving to a new town, trying out a new church, got a new job, etc., allow time to be given so that you can see how God is going to use you where you're at right then.
   
2. We live in a cruel world and it can be lonely sometimes. You may not be walking on water, but still, don't look down, keep your eyes on Jesus! Pursue Him, knowing that He is always there for you when you need Him - and boy, do we need Him a lot more than we think!
3. Undergoing trials? Trials allow us to refocus ourselves on Him and not on the impossiblities. Look throught obstacles as ways to be closer to God and find Him in the midst of these trials. "Seek and you will find"!
   

God is faithful and He will take care of us. Some of the solutions may seem so far off that we are not comfortable with them when they do come. However, at just the right time, God will bring you through your "Red Sea" on dry ground!

Praising Him for His Rescue, at Just the Right Time ~