Gabrielle: Mama, are tornados real?
Me: Yes
Gabrielle: Will Aunt Kristy be sucked up? (Worried look on face)
Me: No
Gabrielle: Oh good! (Relieved look on face)
As she went blissfully skipping away I chuckled to myself and wondered where that little worry came from. It amused me even more that she was relieved simply by what I told her. She believed it, was relieved by it, and physically manifests her complete trust with a sweet smile as she went about with her life.
What do I worry about? Surely my worries are much more serious and important than those of my child. But are they really? She was gravely distressed by the thought of her aunt being sucked up in a tornado. Are her feelings very much different from mine when I am concerned about all the “what-ifs”?
But my daughter made a good choice. She went to a reliable source to verify the validity of her preoccupation. And when she indeed found out that she was mistaken in her perception of reality she simply changed.
When I am worried who do I talk to? Nobody. Do I bottle it up and let it fester? Yes. Do I file it away in my mind thereby assigning it importance? Usually, yes.
Now, though, this encounter with my daughter showed me that it would be better if I took my worries to a verifiable source: God. That I would choose to believe what he said. And that I would simply change, trusting what he said to be the absolute truth.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the
What do you do when you are worried?
11 comments:
such a good object lesson for our walk with Him.
typically when i'm worried, i keep it all inside. and my body stores all the tension, which is not a good thing. i need to get better at giving it to Him.
(*wink* i see what you're doing with a question at the end... and i like it!)
so good.
i usually talk to daniel or my mom and then we'll pray together.
Alece - you mention an object lesson... I am sure that this story will make it into a message sooner or later. Many times I try things out here before I teach them or write them.
Danielle - that is so great that you share and trust others to help you through. I need to learn how to do that more.
Wow, this is good. And you're so right. Although I don't have my own children yet, I do know that it is one very powerful way God has of teaching us about Himself, and our relationship to Him.
What do I do? ... Hmmm.... I get very nervous ... tend to get fidgety and sometimes nauseous (if the anxiety is too high). I do pray. Ask God to help me with it. Goodness, I don't know if I can say all that clearly! I'll have to pay more attention.
Annie - you are right - God teaches us through children. I think one of the main reasons is because we were all children at one time. Also, children are usually readily available if not in our immediate family then in the family of someone close to us.
Angie,
Another great teaching. Thanks for sharing it. A great reminder to go to the right Source (early) with our concerns and questions. BTW, you are a great encourager. Keep it up. :>) I'm so glad we're friends, too.
Love ya,
Denise
Yeeeaaaah. I've "known" this for a long time (haven't we all), but it is still. So. Hard.
But how awesome that a conversation like that happened and you were able to take something so profound from it. Says a lot about you.
Natalie - I don't know you (only what is revealed in the blogosphere) but you seem like a very interesting person to know. I think I would enjoy getting to know you. Spending an afternoon with you would probably be refreshing and fun. Thank you for the kind words, they are encouraging. I imagine that when my Gabrielle is grown up she might have a similar personality to yours.
ooooh... so good! I love it when God uses our children to show us more of his heart for us...
Amy - thank you. :-) Yes, kids are the greatest!
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