"Before you know it worrying becomes a way of life."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry  (p. ix). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

Worry is a difficult mental problem in the world in which we live. It really is.

Louie says, "Like barnacles on the bottom of a boat, worry has a way of subtly attaching itself to our thoughts. Worry often starts below the waterline, out of sight, out of the forefront of our thoughts. At first it’s just a simple what if . . .

"What if I get to the reception late and miss the moment? 
What if I don’t know anyone when I get there? 
What if my supervisor hates my idea? 

What if it rains next week on the night I’ve planned the outdoor party?"

He goes on, "Before you know it worrying becomes a way of life. And just like those barnacles on the bottom of a boat add weight and resistance and therefore slow down the vessel, worry slows down your progress and corrodes your quality of life.

"Over time, these little what ifs that we allow to creep in and stick to the hull of our hearts begin to morph into substantial and sinking fears. Even before a what if ever comes to fruition, the more we allow it to linger and feed it with our attention and activity, the more it begins to weigh us down. As believers, we are meant to live a life characterized by the light and easy yoke of Jesus (Matthew 11:30), and the more room we give what ifs, the more heavily burdened we become."

Louie says, "Before we go too much further, let’s pause to clarify something right away. You are not the only person to step onto this battlefield and look across the way toward the enemy of worry and anxiety. The Enemy loves to isolate us and make our struggles seem disproportionate to those around us. But worry isn’t an uncommon tactic. In fact, it’s one of the Enemy’s go-to weapons. There is some level of comfort in knowing that worry strikes people from every walk of life and background."

Later he says, "God can conquer worry because He has already been victorious over the ultimate root of worry: fear. We’ll dig into this in a later chapter, but 1 John 4:18 says it so well: 'There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.'

"God is greater than fear and all its cousins—depression, anxiety, panic, and worry. And if God is greater, you and I can experience freedom from the grip of worry that robs us of sleep and peace."

He later says, "So before we get into the thick of it, before we even jump in to chapter 1, let’s pause here at the very beginning and take a step together. Remember when I said that the Enemy loves to utilize the weapon of what if? Instead of fixating on the what ifs, let’s commit right now to acknowledging that God has already provided us with the truth of what is. God doesn’t deal in confusion. He doesn’t leave things to chance, and He is never unsure of the final outcome. He doesn’t do if. He is—and that is a truth on which we can build our foundation.

"So wherever you are reading this, no matter what you are walking through, I encourage you to speak out this reality:

"God, I believe You are greater. Specifically, You are greater than whatever I am worrying about right now.

"I believe this confession will immediately catalyze the process of resizing worry and replacing it with trust.

"And if you’re not quite able to declare those words with full conviction, then maybe this is your confession: God, help me have greater faith in You. This is a prayer God loves to hear and loves to come through for."

And Louie then says, "If you’re ready to live free, to cultivate a peaceful heart and confident mind, He’s ready to help you bury worry and live with a new reality of deep-rooted trust and hope."

Now that is a great place for us to start. Yes, yes! #continuethought