June 28 ~ Revelation 2:10
Don't worry about what you will suffer. The devil will throw some of you into jail, and you will be tested and made to suffer for ten days. But if you are faithful until you die, I will reward you with a glorious life.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” This has been a “mantra” of mine for decades, since I read a book by Dale Carnegie called “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.” I’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating today. Carnegie wrote this book about the foolishness of worry. I’m paraphrasing here, but he gives a list of steps to go through in a worrisome situation, and one of them is to ask…“What is the worst that can happen?” The next question becomes, “What are the odds that this really will happen?” Then… “If it does happen, what will I do?” By facing the potential problem head-on and developing a mental strategy for dealing with it, the worry is diminished and becomes more manageable. I have to tell you, I have used this a LOT over the years, and as I have grown in my faith, I find that this works even better in terms of God’s promises.
So you ask yourself, “If I can’t pay my bills and have to sell my house or move into something more affordable, what is the worst that can happen?” “If my loved one dies, how will I manage?” “If I don’t get a job, how will I survive?” “What if I forgot to lock the door/turn off the curling iron/unplug the coffee maker or shut off the water sprinkler?” “If I tell my friend that her boyfriend is a loser, how will she react?””If I block a friend on Facebook or my e-mail account who is sending me offensive posts and messages, what will happen?” “If I move to another Sunday School class – or church – what will people think?”
By prayerfully applying the steps that Carnegie outlines, many situations are at least manageable, if not completely alleviated as insignificant and not worth your time and energy. After all, God is “on the clock,” helping us with situations of all sizes… and even your worst worries and fears, if realized, can be endured when viewed in the same window with a glorious life in heaven for all eternity. Keep your eye on “the prize.” Focus on God… serving Him, pleasing Him, living in and for Him. Let God handle your worries… and remember - the “worst” that could happen can never compare to the “best” that lies ahead with Him.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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