Alive in the age of worry

I am taking a break from our regular programming (I will be back with the communication series next week). For now, I have a simple question to pose:

Where are you putting down payments on problems you won’t even face?

I was on my ritualistic Sunday morning run listening to a podcast and I heard the pastor Steven Furtick say this, “Stop putting a down payment on problems you won’t even face”. Whoa… it felt like I got punched in the gut. And honestly, I had to stop running and take a deep breath.

I got angry with myself for being so susceptible to worrying about the future, but can you blame me? I mean, the news is full of talks of a recession; we are experiencing sky high inflation and there is most likely a volatile election around the corner. Ooof.

John Mayer sings about worry and encourages us to

Be,

Alive in the age of worry

Smile in the age of worry

Go wild in the age of worry

And sing Worry, why should I care?

I think he’s onto something. I have found that the best antidote to worrying about the what if’s is to take wild responsibility for my life and circumstances. To remind myself that the future is created and I create it within reason.

I am not helpless. (and neither are you)

There are things we can do. And, of course, after we have done the things we have control over, the next step is to lean into faith and patience and resist fear and doubt.

So instead of paying debt on the what if’s this week, ask yourself what there is to do and do THAT!

Envision it all working out until you feel it in your body.

And what if, your what if is already taken care of?

As John says, Be alive, be free, go wild, smile, and sing.

To a Bright Future,