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DON’T WORRY! CALL A STEPHEN MINISTER!
In the midst of summer, my favorite uncle often worried that the
air conditioner was broken when it wouldn’t come on in response
to the rising heat in the house. Then, several minutes after the
air conditioner was humming away, he began to worry about the cost
of the electricity to run the air conditioner. “Uncle Dock, you
worry too much”, I would say with child-like wisdom. He would
laugh and say, “I know. That’s why God never let me have my
own children.”
Is there anyone who doesn’t worry? Probably not, worrying seems
to be a natural part of life. God has given us a mind that is a
remarkable instrument, able to recall past events and to imagine
possible future ones. Even though we are able to recognize that
these events are not happening right now, sometimes, we just
can’t seem to stop thinking about them and our thoughts actually
affect the way we feel now. Our body reacts just as if the event
were actually happening or about to happen.
Remember the time that your boss criticized you unjustly. Even
though the event occurred in the past, you still feel the anger
and frustration that you felt then. Your mind still tries to
figure out what went wrong and how you could have fixed it. “If
only…”
Then you begin to worry that you may lose your job in the future.
“What if ….” No matter how unlikely it is that such an event
would occur, you can actually make yourself depressed or anxious
just thinking about it. We are told that anxiety disorders are the
most common mental illness in the United States and that these
disorders can even make you more susceptible to physical
illnesses.
Too much worry can distract and paralyze us, not allowing us to
experience God’s presence and grace in our lives. In Philippians
4: 6-7, Paul tells us: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray
about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he
has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which
is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.
Sometimes, I think I am the Queen of Worry. One of the ways I try
to combat worrying too much is to talk to someone about my
imaginary fears. Just saying them out loud helps me to remember
that the event is either over and done with or that it probably
will never occur. Praying has brought me much peace. Talking to
close friends and relatives has also helped, and then I thank God
for them.
Stephen Ministers are good listeners. If for some reason, you are
experiencing days and nights of constant worry, please consider
talking to a Stephen Minister. Stephen ministers are children of
God who are willing to walk beside a hurting person, offering
unconditional acceptance. They don’t criticize or offer advice.
They listen and care. If you are experiencing any type of life
situation where you could use a caring Christian friend or you
know of someone who is, please contact Carolyn Benitez, Stephen
Leader and Referrals Coordinator at 512-396-0595. All inquiries
are confidential.
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