Wishing, Worrying, Whining, or Worshipping

Dear Friends,

It was one of those emails you hate to get: “The aortic ultrasound shows no aneurysm, but it did show a possible growth in the bladder.” What was she thinking? Doesn’t my doctor realize that growth is one of those medical terms that can conjure up all sorts of disturbing thoughts? I wished she hadn’t sent the email.

For a few minutes I just sat at my desk wondering how I should process this bit of information. I started worrying about what the implications might be; which quickly shifted to whining about how unfair this was.

Psalm 46:3 came to mind. “So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea … “ OK for you, Mr. Psalmist, but I’m not dealing with an earthquake. I’m dealing with something much more personal.”

I’m sure many of you have been there. The doctor wants to do a biopsy, or maybe your chest X-ray requires another look. You know that God is control, but at that particular moment, you want to be in control.

I needed to be in control, so I did what comes naturally; I went to Google. There is a plethora of websites that can help you diagnose almost any condition. A few clicks of my mouse and I was sure my condition was terminal.

But then I remembered a message about worry delivered by Pastor Buddy Owen from Saddleback Church. His message was taken from Matthew 6:25-27 (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?

“When you fix your thoughts on God,” Buddy said, “God fixes your thoughts.” Then he offered a simple exercise that can help you fix your thoughts on God rather than on your worries:

If you have something that is troubling you, offer it to the Lord in prayer. Start by praying with your palms up. Imagine that your worries are in the palms of your hands. Ask God to take the worries from you, and then turn your palms down, symbolizing you are letting go of your worries. Then turn your palms face up again, as you thank God for the good things he has in store for you.

“OK!” I thought. “This is a good time to try this exercise.” Lifting my hands I imagined my growth sitting in my palms. “Lord, I have a lot to do today, I would appreciate it if you would take care of this worry for me.”

Then I turned my palms down letting the worry slip from my grasp. After a brief pause, I lifted my hands and thanked God for his goodness.

I was late for an appointment, so I rushed to my car and drove away. During my two-hour appointment, concerns about my doctor’s email didn’t come to mind. Perhaps I was just too busy to worry. However, as I started my drive home the growth again came to mind. Except this time it was the memory of a growth I had forgotten.

“Could it be?” I wondered. I called my former urologist and asked if I could pick up a copy of my medical records. When I opened the envelope, I saw that word … growth. I had been through this drill once before and the growth that showed up on my recent MRI was the same benign critter that we had examined a few years ago. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t some kind of miracle. What it was — was a better way for me to handle worry.

Scripture tells us “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Sometimes the MRI doesn’t come out the way we had hoped, or the X-ray brings bad news, and sometimes it just doesn’t seem like all things work together for good. But wishing things could be different, worrying about the implications, and whining that the world isn’t fair won’t change anything. The one thing that will make a difference is worshipping.

So the next time you face a crisis, remember to fix your thoughts on God so God can fix your thoughts. Perhaps the “growth” you’ll have will be spiritual growth.

Verse for the Week: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ