Can God help me to not worry so much?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I admit I'm a worrier, but with all the bad things that go on in the world today, how can I help it? The world is a scary place, and terrible things happen all the time. My husband says I shouldn't worry so much. I guess it's just my personality. -- Mrs. K.D.
A: Our personalities are all different, and perhaps you tend to be more fearful than most people. But that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it -- and in fact you should, because God doesn't want us to be prisoners to fear. The Bible urges us to "do what is right and do not give way to fear" (1 Peter 3:6).
Some fears are legitimate, of course; we should fear a poisonous snake or a drunk driver, and take steps to avoid them. We also should fear sins that grip our lives, because we know they will destroy us. But some fears are not legitimate -- that is, they don't have any basis in reality. The Bible says, "flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11).
The key is to learn to trust God, no matter what our fears are. And we can trust Him, because He loves us, and He is greater than anything we'll ever face. Furthermore, when we know Christ, we know He is with us every moment of the day -- and that should give us great comfort.
Commit your life to Christ, and then when fears come, immediately pray and turn them over to God. Focus on Christ instead of your fears, and your fears will begin to fade. Remember the Psalmist's words: "The Lord is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
(c)2018 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
