Jesus offers us a strategic program to defeat the giant of worry.

Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” 1

David Jeremiah summarized it this way: 2

– Don’t dwell on yesterday’s mess
– Don’t dwell on yesterday’s success
– Don’t dwell on yesterday’s distress

1 – Matthew 6:34

2 – David Jeremiah’s book is available here on Amazon.com

Worry seems almost human.  Ever notice how often Worry wants to have a conversation with you?

Jesus Christ challenged his listeners not to give into the lies that Worry screams.

Jesus said, Don’t “worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear… Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?“

When life is beating you senseless and you wanna sigh, cry or die you might say “No! I’m not feeling valuable at all!”

I’m Afraid Of A Relapse!

THE QUESTION: Last week, my daughter was released to go home from the psych ward. After she got depressed, she cut herself. I was afraid that she’d try to commit suicide. How do I know he/she won’t slide back into this again?

OUR REPLY: “Don’t focus on what might happen (but probably won’t); focus instead on things that affirm your future and guide your eyes toward hopefulness. You can both set and achieve short-term goals and remember to focus your attention on the positive things that you have in your lives.”

Many cutters cut because they believe lies about their nature.  They feel that their very existence is under a foreboding cloud that leave them hopeless to change.

Hopeless Lie – I Deserve It

“I’ve never made my daughter feel inadequate.  She’s an honor student.  I just don’t understand why she says she cuts herself because she’s “a failure at life.”

“My brother feels so guilty all the time.    He cuts himself and says he deserves it.”

The shame of a wounded conscience is a trap.  It’s a lie that tries to convince us that hopelessly defective: “I am what I am. I cannot change. I am hopeless.”

Shame is the deep feeling of guilt, sadness, and hopelessness that we experience when we become convinced that our shadows, scars and scandals doom us.  That past failures, bad habits or poor appearance has made a permanent scar on our self-worth.

Moses’ self-worth was wounded.  God chose Moses to be a hero, but Moses protested, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me?”

Growing up in Chicago I loved the change of seasons.  Each season seemed about three months long.  Each season had its unique features and unique fun.

When I was in my teens my dad and I learned to ski.  Years later I learned to snowboard.  Having moved to Minnesota where winter seems to have a five-month grasp finding ways to have fun in the snow has become an important way to cope.

Snowboarding is fun and challenging.  I miss the challenge of skiing moguls, but I love the spins and the multi-direction ride — regular to switch and back to regular – as I glide down the slope.

Barack Obama wins. Tiger Woods cheats. Tim Tebow loses.

These three men are, like us, people.  They have friends and a family. They have hopes and dreams. They win and they lose, they succeed and fail. Why do we care about them. Why do we track their lives? Why did their names appear on virtually every news portal every day this week?

Why, because they are “celebrities.”

Fame

As a society one of our biggest problems is that we create “celebrities.” Celebrities, people whose lives and accomplishments we follow. We attribute celebrity status to and esteem them because of their success in their chosen field. Athletes become icons, actors become idols, musicians become magnified.