No Trespassing Allowed!

One night not long after my son learned to drive, he was late getting home.  We were living in the mountains at the time, and I began to envision all kinds of scenarios that involved him running off the road, rolling down a mountainside, landing upside in his truck and dead.  As I’m spinning this tale in my mind, tears begin to stream down my cheeks because I just knew he was dead!  (I know, I’m morbid.)  Minutes later he came bounding through the door, gave me a kiss on the cheek and asked me why I was crying. I felt foolish and didn’t tell him I thought he was dead, I  just told him I was worried about him.

Worry. What a debilitating word. It can freeze us in our tracks. It brings about fear because we’ve realized we’ve lost control of a situation.

Worry has a sister. Her name is Anxiety. She’s the emotional response to worry.

And then there’s Worry’s cousin, Concern. Concern puts up a yellow flag and says, “Whoa! What’s wrong here?”  Concern isn’t bad,  he’s actually helpful. But when Worry and Anxiety come creeping in, they can hold you captive, making you a prisoner in your own home.

What is your response when worry comes knocking on your door and trespasses into your domain?  Fret? Cry? Plead? Manipulate? Fantasize?

Here are four points to help get rid of this unwelcome Trespassing Sign Generatortrespasser.

  1. Embrace the cross of faith.  Galatians 2:20 clearly says “I’ve been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”  I’m to live my life by faith in the Son of God. I have nothing to prove or gain by worrying.
  2. Exchange your load for His yoke and yoke up with Him. Matthew 11:28-30 says “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.”
  3. Choose NOT to worry. Put off worry and anxiety and put on prayer, trust in God’s sovereignty and Fatherly care.  Dare we think we can change one thing by worrying about it?  In Matthew 6:25-34 we see what Jesus prescribes as the cure for worry. Working yourself up into a worry session? Stop it!  See also Philippians 4:6-9; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 27:5,25
  4. Face the issue through faith and reality.  That’s what Abraham did in Genesis 22 when he faced the possibility of sacrificing his son.

The next time worry comes knocking at your door, tell him to move on!  No trespassing allowed!

Father, I thank You for helping me to see worry for what it is, a sin. Thank You for inviting me to yoke up with You, to come to You and take up Your yoke and to learn of You and Your sovereignty.   In Jesus Name, Amen.


MarshaSIGNblue-1

3 thoughts on “No Trespassing Allowed!

  1. Pingback: » No Trespassing Allowed!

  2. Iris

    Thank you for the reminders that worry, anxiety and concern have no place in our heart, but instead we should draw close to Him.