Worry, everyone does it, from 5-year-olds to those in their 50s. Even though it’s common everyone also understands worry is not productive. We worry about things we can’t control. Crime in big cities. Global warming. What mean people will say about a Facebook post, or worse how someone might judge an Instagram family photo when your hair just would not cooperate. Worry doesn’t make health better, in fact, it can make it worse. For some it’s a stress headache, others it’s terrible gastrointestinal pain. Stress and worry drain energy and have no benefit to physical or mental health. Is there a better way?
I believe there is a single word to solve this dilemma and recapture the lost energy, health problems and sleep loss that comes from chronic worry.
The word is Care.
Moms tell their kids to be careful at school but that doesn’t stop the bullies from saying mean things. People talk about being careful on the roads traveling, but saying it so much almost isn’t heard when you consider the number of car accidents that happen. Perhaps they are instructing their loved ones to avoid being careless and to pay attention as a way to solve future problems, yet I look at those words a different way.
You can be careful, or you could be full of care.
Instead of seeing people who don’t worry as careless, perhaps view it as someone who doesn’t carry around a lot of burdens and pressure. They are carrying less cares, worries, doubts or confusion. A simple approach is to be carefree, not caring less, just being free of having to carry all the worries we never had control over anyway.
Remember the ancient scripture penned by St. Peter, “Cast all your cares upon God because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). The secret to solving care and worry is based on who is carrying all of those cares and worries. When we carry the burdens it’s easy to get tired and overwhelmed. A better way is to learn how to let God carry our greatest fears, doubts, confusions, and worries. When we give God our burdens and cares, we can live in the freedom enjoyed by people of deep faith. Simply trusting that God is in control means I don’t have to worry about anything. Even what mean people might say on Facebook.
About the Author – Dwight Bain guides people in creating positive change as a nationally certified counselor and certified leadership coach. Follow his daily social media posts for strategies that make life work better.
