There’s a Monster Under My Bed

April 4, 2018

Why is it when as soon as our heads hit the pillow our minds take off in a sprint? Like a hamster up all night scurrying on a wheel, we begin to think about our to-do list, that thing we said to our boss, or how we are going to pay for the kid’s braces. Our brains have this annoying tendency to ruminate on worst case scenarios at night turning molehills into mountains and small uncertainties into full-blown monsters. 

And it’s not just when we try to sleep. It can and does happen any time of the day. Unrelenting anxious thoughts can be paralyzing. They sap our emotional energy, impair our physical health, and interfere with our daily lives. 

How do we tackle the monster of our worry and anxiety in our lives? 

1. Get to know God.

People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. (Matthew 6:32 – The Message) If you don’t have a relationship with God you have every reason to worry. Get to know God. And don’t just know about Him but really know Him. As a believer, you understand you have a heavenly Father who has promised to take care of you.

2. Put God first in your life.

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matthew 6:33 – The Message) Anytime God moves away from first in your life, you have reason to worry. Billy Graham said, “Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and his will for us.”

3. Live one day at a time.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34 - The Message) If you are worried about tomorrow, you can’t enjoy today. Plan for tomorrow but live for today. 

I would love to have you with us at Aldersgate Church for a new message series titled “Anxious for Nothing” beginning this Sunday. We will dive into how to tackle the monster of worry in our lives. Join us in person or catch us online here at 9:00, 10:15 or 11:30.

Ryan Smallwood

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