I recently received some bad news that I had to wait over a weekend to know the outcome.  You can guess what I did.  I spent the entire weekend worried.  All worked up about it.  It consumed my thoughts, stole my joy and took me away from the moment.  I realized that I wasn’t able to focus on anything else.  Just stuck focusing on what would happen Monday and what the outcome of this news would be.

After the first 24 hours of worry it hit me.  Worrying wasn’t going to do any good.  It wasn’t going to help me eliminate the situation.  It wasn’t going to change anything.  It wasn’t going to make the outcome any better.  It was just taking up my time.  But it just couldn’t shake it. It was consuming me.

I know the verses, you probably do to, over and over again God tells us in his word to not worry.  We know we shouldn’t worry.  We know that He is in control.  We know we’re called to not be anxious people but to trust in God.  However, in the moments of worry and anxiety it is hard to just hand it over.

As I sat surrounded by my worry, feeling the weight of the anxiety on my shoulders, I decided I could not continue this way.  I prayed and prayed.  I asked God to help me hand it to him.  To let it go.  I’d love to tell you that immediately I felt the weight lifted, I let go and let God be in control.  That did not happen.  What did happen though was just as moving.  After praying and praying for this worry and anxiety to leave me, I turned to my bible.  I read over those verses I know all to well.

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:6-7 NIV
•  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matt 6:25-27 NIV
•  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.   2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
•  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 NIV

I soon began to feel release.  I thought through how I couldn’t change the outcome.  How worrying about it all weekend wouldn’t make a difference.  How I’d done everything in my power and now I needed to let it go.  And I did just that.  I let it go.  I was able to enjoy the moments of the weekend.  I was able to have other thoughts.  I was not bogged down by worry.  I was not consumed by the worry. I am not perfect, I did allow the worry to creep into my thoughts once in a while but I was no longer consumed by it and that made a huge difference.  Giving it to God, handing it over, wasn’t easy but it was necessary.  If you’re facing worry, uncertainty, anxiety or similar feelings I hope you can do the same.  Pray about it, read God’s word, and slowly but surely let it go.