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Sunday 27 February 2011

Not To Worry

This morning's sermon was based on the Sermon on the Mount and was about worry.

We were enjoined to trust in The Lord and not to waste our precious time on earth worrying needlessly about all and everything.

I can see the sense in this, and even in time, might learn to trust that I am not necessarily the best person to try to analyse my problems, real or imaginary.  Somehow, however, the thought of simply offering up my perceived difficulties to God asking for help and guidance and relinquishing control is a very bizarre concept for me.

This is not arrogance, more a fear of losing my grip on my daily problems.  We are told that we are each responsible for our own actions, how, therefore can we just abandon all effort to sort our own difficulties out.?

An inveterate worrier I have lived my entire life in the fear of what might happen (often ignoring what was actually happening at the time) to such an extent that I have half crippled myself  by allowing inhibitions nervous imaginings, perhapses and maybes to rule my behaviour.

Somewhere it is written (I think possibly in The Qran) "Oh Lord, help me to overcome adversity, but not before it arrives"

Introspection is a part of daily living to a fairly depressive person and can be a useful tool as well as a barrier to social interaction.  It is when it in turn becomes the obsessive dwelling on perceived problems, injustices past and present, and the looking inward for non-existent answers that it becomes unhealthy.

This morning the sermon was a good one, an uplifting one, and for me a pointer to a different way of facing adversity.  Why then, apart from the fact that it is once again raining, has it left me particularly low spirited?

Writing something in my diary on my return home, the answer came to me like a bolt from the blue.  Today is/was my wedding anniversary.  It would have  been our 40th.

Strange isn't it how once you have discovered what is 'bugging' you it tends to lose its importance.

Not to worry!

5 comments:

  1. I was thinking in church this morning how we could read the passage from Isaiah (How could I forget you? I have written you on the palm of my hand) and the Gospel from Matthew at least once a month and that might not be too often.... We belong to God, and everyone has worries, but we belong to God!

    Anniversaries are significant; no wonder you were blue. But you don't have to stay blue to honor the day. Blessings.

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  2. very touched by your post today Ray and as I am reading this two days later!! I hope the day, your memories brought many blessings to you. lots of love, Judyx

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  3. Many thanks for the comments. The nice thing about 'thinking aloud' type posts is that a friendly comment can change your outlook on a grey day for the better. Necessary medicine for my 'inward-looking' rather self-pitying current mindset.

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  4. I joined in with my church's service on cd this week. But the message about tomorrow having enough troubles of its own is taking a while to sink in. The less well I feel physically, the more difficult it is to put anxieties aside. And an un-thought of anniversary is bound to be like a sore niggling away inside. Hope you feel better by now. Every Blessing

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  5. Thanks for thinking of me when you are clearly not at your best yourself Freda.
    Hope things improve for you soon.
    Blessings

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