A sweet little somebody crawled in bed with me the past two nights. She’s been coughing and running a fever. Seems like someone gets better and another one gets sick or injured. If I’m not careful, worry will weazle it’s way into my mind and I’ll start worry about what might go wrong next.
What if Aster gets pneumonia, like Josh did? What if she can’t go to preschool tomorrow and I can’t get those devotions edited for work? What if Andrew’s collar bone doesn’t start healing?
I’m sure you have a lot of what ifs of your own. I wish we could sit in a coffee shop and talk about and pray about things that are weighing you down or worries that are making you weary.
I’d tell you about the year I let my problems pile up and how all that pressure almost took me down. We could laugh about how I accidentally took my dogs medicine.
There are lessons I learned that I want to tell you about because they changed me – and rearranged me.
I learned how to process my worries with Jesus in a way I never had before. The load didn’t get smaller (hardly ever does) but the same but the weight got lighter because I learned how to let God carry it for me.
Since we can’t meet in a coffee shop, I want to share some things in a short video message I filmed weeks ago. I’ve been saving to share with you this week. In it, I’ll share three steps you can take to help you stop your concerns from consuming you and a powerful “visual” you can use to remind you to cast your cares upon the Lord. {Just click the arrow below to watch it.}
Message Notes: You can download this video’s “Message Notes” in a notes in a PDFor in a in a Word doc here. I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it again and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in. 
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Lord, help us turn our burdens over to You, and
{rest in knowing} You will take care of us. Psalm 55:22, GW
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Let’s Connect: I’d love to hear your thoughts and one thing you want to apply after hearing today’s video message.
Also, if you’re in my online study please share some of your answers to the questions from the end of Chapter 9. Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. 🙂 Let’s turn our burdens over to God and carry them to Him for one another, too, by praying for the person who leaves a comment before ours.
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I really love the visuals you share Renee….this week’s idea about writing our worries and concerns on index cards and physically giving them to God is so powerful. I am excited to start this and I have a habitual worrying problem and find myself making things much bigger than they are sometimes by my worry.
Thank you!
I haven’t been keeping up with the study like I should. I am hurting so badly right now. I will have to call an 800 crisis line later tonight. I am waiting for my pastor to call me and pray with me. It’s overwhelming. I have been so much further hurt by my pastoral minister in counseling with him for horrific depression for 2 years. He should have ended the counseling long ago saying he was not qualified to help me but he kept me in. He has posed dual roles with me, coming to my house to do repairs and being my counselor also…and it’s nothing like physical intimacy…it’s the intimacy of the counseling relationship. I confided my deepest darkets thoughts written in my journal to him. he has said tons of hurtful things to me and I am just now remembering them and feeling more hurt from them. The last part of our counseling he had said 3 more hurtful things to me and I had finally had enough. I finally realized he was not helping me (after the horrible cloud of depression disappeared) and I said I was no longer coming back. He emailed me “sorry it didn’t work out”. that’s what I get after being so open and vulnerable and trusting? I have been so ANGRY! I was up all night praying. They are ignoring me. I am seriously thinking about filing a complaint. I don’t know what to do. the paiin is overwhelming….I had already had 4 major tragic things happen to me and have been in horrible derpession for the past 6 years….so now it is hurt on top of hurt….and he has done me more harm. I’m so upset. Just pray for God to be near me and never abandon me like all the people in these tragic events and this counselor who I shared all my thoughts with has done. He has abandoned me and harmed me so much further.
Oh Sherree, I am so sorry. I know how much courage it takes to be that vulnerable and I know you did so because you wanted help. And now you’ve been hurt. I wish I knew what to say but for now I just sense God telling me to pray for you so that is what I want to do here.
Lord, I thank you that you are Sherree’s loving and cariing Father. You are her Mighty Counselor, her confidant and Hope. Her Restorer and Healer. I pray that she would find comfort in You tonight, that she would not allow anyone to have the power to hurt her through their actions or words. I pray that she would know and feel comfort in knowing YOU are the Only One who can be what she needs – and you promise you will NEVER leave her or forsake her, I pray she’s run to you tonight. That she’s open the pages of the Psalms and let Your Words fall on her heart like medicine for her soul. I pray she’d open the pages of A Confident Heart and meet you at the well like Sam in chapter 2-4. Lord I know You brought this book to her and this message for her and you want to use it now in her life and through her healing process. Surround her with wisdom, grace and Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you so much Renee. I copied this prayer and the one we just got in an email and I am going to pray them every day to get through this. I wish I could be as strong emotionally as you and a girlfriend of mine. I wish I had it all together. I don’t. I hurt easily. When the other person doesn’t care that I hurt easily I get angry. I feel so abandoned. You know when people say, if you were the only person in the world, Jesus would have died for you alone? It just ocurred to me I need to imagine that I AM the only one in the world and that He is all mine! I need so much to know I am important to Him and He will never abandon me like … yes even counselors who have strict ethics not to abandon…but they do and don’t even care. .
I feel so much peace today and last night after midnight. Thank you both for your prayers. I went back and read about the woman at the well. I prayed the prayers Renee has written. I read verses about how Jesus is so near me expecially when I am hurting. Chapters 8 and 9 happened for me at just the right time. I know God brought me to this bible study because I need it so. He loves me so much that he brought this to me. I am at peace that Jesus is my Defender and no one can harm me. He took away the hurt I was feeling last night and I have peace like I’ve never had before.
Sherree,
I also will be praying for you. I read your post and now you are on my heart. I am so sorry for your pain. God never abandon’s you, He is with you. I am sorry for your tragic things. I have had my own share of them, along with depression. I am praying for you.
Thank you so much. I have not hurt this much since my son moved in with his dad when he was 16. This is another major hurt. I really don’t understand why it hurts so bad but that I let myself be transparent and vulnerable and this counselor who is ethically bound not to harm further did harm further. Thank you for your care for me.
Renee – Thank You.
I once called worry my best friend – literally. “How can you trust when worry is your best friend?” I asked, I believed with my whole heart.
No more – worry is not a friend I want to have. I know it won’t be easy, I know I will slip and fall, but at least I dont feel like Im in the dark – like I am not even aware that there is another way. I want so dearly to hold onto this hope.
It is good to be reminded that we do a lot of good things, but they are not always God things. So glad Martha struggled with this. I am reminded of my dear mother who recently passed. As an adult, I used to go home and visit, after supper I would offer to help do the dishes and mother would say oh no let’s go in the den and relax. I can do those when you are gone. She knew what was important. Help me to have my mother’s wisdom.
Words of wisdom here!!
Definitely struggle with worry. Have since I was little. Even though know God has always provided for my needs (easy to see physical needs met) still find myself wondering where money is going to come from, etc. I often give my concerns, etc. to God but too often don’t leave them with Him. Perhaps writing them down would help. Gotten behind & haven’t even read the chapter yet. Great Aunt died Saturday, though I wasn’t real close to her, but then my Granddad died on Monday, which I am really struggling with, and had a medical procedure yesterday which will hopefully help but first few days are worse. I know God cares & is with me, but really wish I had “someone with skin on” right now. Will see everyone for the services on Monday. Sorry I got totally off topic. Anyway, am thankful for this study & thinking will go through it again as there is so much still for me to learn/apply.
When worry consumes, stop, label it, and give it to God. What a great thing to know, and a hard thing to do. My kids have been passing around a book called, “Doing Hard Things”. I think we mom’s need to take a ques from the kids and do the hard thing.
Yesterday I had a list way to long of things to do. I forgot something that I told my daughter I would do for her. She had forgotten to have a school paper signed and I was going to do the running for her to get it taken care of. I called her almost in tears, because I had forgot, what she had also forgot. She said that it was fine and she would take care of it today.
Sometimes, I think we worry about stuff with our kids that God needs to work out. I have had my heart feel as though it was being torn out of my chest, but that is no reason to put on my “fret hat”. God has everything planned and I need to rest in that fact.
Thank you for this reminder about worry. I worry so many about the future in general. But I was really convicted of it when I heard that when I worry I am showing more confidence in my ability to figure things out than in God’s care of me.
I still struggle with trusting God too often, but it is something that He is slowly freeing me from as I pray about it and seek Him.
The other day I was reading 1 Peter about casting my cares upon the Lord. What I had not noticed before was the preceding verse talks about humbling myself before God. There is definitely a connection between humbling myself before God and His ways and being able to cast my anxieties to God.
I have grown so much by your teachings and this video as well as the others have Inspired me to see that Worry robs us of God’s Blessings.I have lerned not to pick it back up once I have left it at The Feet of Jesus.A Wise way to go at this is by saying Spiritual growth takes time we have to learn from our test and trials we go through.We are on a Journey to find our Destination for Eternity.Our Eternity is where we end up after we have have completed His Plan for our Lives.God wants us to share our Life Lessons to help each other grow into the Masterpiece we were created be.Just think a Masterpiece of God He made everything Beautiful and we were no exception we all have been Choosen and designed by the Potter Himself.And God will not let Nothing happen to His Creations.I have learned to Plead the Blood over my Spouse myself my Children Grandchildren my health my finances my home we have the Power in the Name of Jesus left by The Comforter Himself to Conquer and be Overcomers through Him.I am doing more Faith Walking now more then ever.I know that I am Covered and evverything I touch will be Blessed.I ask Him for the Courage to break out of my Comfort zone so He can use me to help build His Kingdom.We all are here for a Purpose and our goal is to fight the good fight till the end of Lifes Journey.I thank God for Sister Renee and p31 Ministries and for all my online Sisters that help Encourage me and many others to not be Weary in well doing.God Bless you all Mighty Warriors.
It took me a very long time to realize that ‘worry’ is a sin. When I worry I am not trusting God…the King of kings and Lord of lords…the One who created me and knows my most inner parts…who knows all the hairs on my head and knows every tear I’ve cried. When I start to worry I try to remember to confess that sin and then ask God to help me trust Him…afterall…He is sovereign…since He chose me he is not going to let me out of His sight…ever!
The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do…and continue to struggle with…is to ask God to show me my sins…in doing that I will have to repent and then ask God for the strength to do what is right. I am always in God’s will…we all are…there is nothing in this world that God does not already know about. When I start to confess my sins and continue to confess my sins and then start doing the right things that is when I have true peace.
Been there – Done that! I think worry ALWAYS makes us weary, and you’re so right – when we learn to turn over our cares to Him and truly live in “Fret Not”, our load is so much lighter!
Thank you, Renee. I am a #1 worrywart!
A couple of months ago as I lay halfway between the world of sleep and wake-up, God reminded me of Martha and Mary. I am so much like Martha, always worried about the little things in life. Always getting myself all wound up. I worry about everything. I worry about what I say or don’t say. I get distracted with negative thoughts from the past or hurts of the present. I feel all upset when I am not understood.
I am even worse than Martha. At least she was fussing over preparing something for Jesus. But maybe that’s it though. She was trying to prepare a meal for Jesus, but she needed to allow Jesus to prepare the way for her. To provide her with His sustenance – as the Bread of Life to fill her hungry soul and the Living Water to quench her thirsty soul.
My problem exactly. I am so busy trying to fix things that are out of my control or to take on burdens that aren’t mine to bear. I’m so busy trying to make things right in my heart or other people’s lives. I try so hard to make everyone else happy, and I forget to turn to the ONE Who has all the answers. The only ONE Who can change things. The only ONE Who can nourish my soul and the souls of others.
What a topic this week! I’ve always been a worrier but slowly letting go of the feeling responsible for everyone’s happiness. It really doesn’t do much good to worry about things, many things, we cannot control.
Thinking and planning vs. worrying is a fine line for women I believe.
The difference is usually in worrying we accept responsibility for things we cannot control no matter what we do. It’s only natural for women to try to “fix” it. Some more than others and I being one of those that tries hard. In the past year I realized I cannot fix some major changes that happened to me.
Worrying is probably an insult to our Father as we take it in our own hands when we should pray more instead. It is a daily struggle for me not to worry about my children. The have been estranged from me for 2 years now and I have no idea why. I have prayed and prayed and feel like letting go means I don’t care.
Actually it was just this past month, I decided to not write them any longer and I have to accept this no matter what. I think worry is fear of what might be and we can’t project all of the future.
This left a hole in my heart with my kids that I can’t fix. Even worrying didn’t change a thing. Sometimes I wonder if praying about it anymore is fruitful or not. I know it’s cast a deep shadow on my heart that no one can fill. It has created a sense of rejection in most any relationship I have had since then.
Jennifer,
I had a similar experience several years ago. I was a single mother, got remarried to a wonderful man, and when my oldest daughter turned 16 she decided she wanted to go live with her father. I was extremely hurt, worried, and concerned about her living full time in a non-Christian household. I had a very hard time adjusting, until I gave it to God; only He could direct her and correct her path. She went through somethings a mother never wants her child to experience. Drinking, drugs, etc. She finally woke up and turned to God to set her paths straight. She and I are very close now, and God has healed our relationship. I had to accept that He would bring her back to living and choosing the right choices for her life. She is now married with a toddler and another one the way.
The Bible says: to teach your children God’s commands, and if they stray from them; they will return back to them. Time does heal our wounds; we need to turn to Jesus during this time.
I’ll be praying for you….Beth
If I could respond to Jennifer….
Jennifer, I would encourage you to keep writing to your kids no matter if they respond or not.
Letting go means you have given up trying to control whether or not they will respond to you.
They will come back to you one day.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you anything else and most importantly don’t tell yourself that they will not come back to you.
Start thanking God that He has already planned their path back to you and Him.
Just keep on loving them!
Debbie
Renee…..sometimes I am just so so overwhelmed with everything I have to do. I have such a demanding job and feel as though that all I do is work, eat, and sleep. I have no time for anything else. I am short tempered with my family and sometimes don’t even like myself. I have prayed and prayed about it and still I find myself in the same frame of mind. Your video and message was so what I needed today. You make me feel like there really is hope and a better life. I just feel like sitting down sometimes and crying my eyes out, but I know that isn’t going to solve anything. My life is such a mess and so unorganized and I feel like I am drowning. Thanks so much for you message. I need your encouraging words. I do wish I could sit down with you at a coffee shop and talk because I feel like I am at the end of my rope.
Lately I have been doing this a lot. Especially when you’re a parent of teenagers. Worried that they will make the right decisions…worried they will take a wrong path. But I have been turning it all over to the Lord. They are in his hands & I must remember that. I sometimes say, “Lord, its too much to handle please some how fix it”.
Thank you for today’s video message.
Wow thank you for the blessing of this message. I needed to hear it more than every today, feels kind of like He wrote it just for me! Facing some strong financial challenges as our basement flooded with water this week, son injured, and there is more. BUT, He has not changed. Praying for the peace that surpasses all understanding for all the ladies you minister to…
Lord I pray for peace for all these wonderful ladies and myself. Reading this chapter which I have not finished, I can relate to Renae’a struggle. I am and have been at that point for an aweful long time. My memory is so bad it scares me. I function and get through the day but it is a struggle. Between finances, four kids, an ailing mother, 3 businesses and working part time at home depot to keep my real estate office open, I am completely drained. I have been feeling God wanting me to get away for a day or two alone but don’t see how that can happen. Pray for me to have a door opened to make it possible. Have a blessed day everyone
Worry is a thing that all women do especially mother’s. Thank you for the scriptures to help me remember what God wants me to do about my worries. Thanks you also for the reminder of these three easy steps to help me with this worry. I have always felt like the “Martha” in my family. The one everyone expects to cook the meals and have all the family gathering. I so want to learn to be a “Mary” To let Jesus be my focus. I am praying for Gods peace about all of these feelings and guidance on how to move my focus back to Him.
This is a powerful chapter. Just watched the video. Love your idea of writing my worries down on a 3×5 card, physically laying it under the cross on (your) table, and surrendering these worries to GOD. Every time I see those cards under that cross — it will be a vivid reminder that “I surrenderred those worries to GOD and need to leave them there.”
Thank you, Rene for being so incredibly transparent and sharing these wonderful life lessons with us. God uses you in such a powerful way.
This topic is a great reminder for me. Just today I walked out of my house with the intention of going to the store. Well I left my keys in the house. I was locked out of my house and car. I panicked, started praying, and asking God to keep me from losing. it. See, this interrupted my plans for the next hour or so. Plus I have done this before. So of course I thought Lord what is wrong wiht me. This word today reminded me to cast that care, problem, dilemma on the altar. And let the Lord calm my mind, spirit, And he did. While I was locked out of my home, siting in the garage, I decided to take that time to pray, do something constructive. I rode my bicycle and begin to read a book. Before long, my daughter came home. Please pray that I learn how to be calm in a dilemma or small storm and not loose control.
That was an awesome way to respond to your little crisis! God, please help Cynthia to always remember you first and remain calm in every storm! Sometimes life is more about the interruptions isn’t it.
I had a lesson on Worrying before with Andy Stanley a few years back.
I love that fact that I don’t have to worry and know that God is in control of every situation.
Many times a see or hear other Christians worry about different things. I give them the advice to stop worrying n pray to God for guidance and a way to see the good side of the situation.
Turn worrying into praying! 😉