What are you worried about this Monday? What situations do you anticipate will cause you stress?
The volume of anxiety feels louder in this season than any other. You could have several unknown answers to the questions about the future. For the majority of us, we ask the question, “When will life resume with a semblance of normalcy?”
The effects of worries on us drive us to produce more, which causes exhaustion or freezes us from accomplishing the tasks in front of us. We can run past our worry. Recently my friend Brandon made this statement, “You cannot heal what’s not revealed.” Moving forward means identifying what currently causes anxiety in us.
David, in the Psalms, moves his anxieties towards prayer. Psalm 94 captures the stressful situation of fleeing his enemies explicitly. Take a listen to what he says:
When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
Psalm 94:18-19
your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.
Moving forward from our worries begins by recognizing the presence of God’s love in our life. We need a vision for clarity. As we start this Monday, here are a few ways you can move forward from worry:
Remind yourself of God’s provision in the last week.
Notice Psalm 94:18. David quickly calls to his memories moments when he saw God supporting him. Worry over focuses on the present and future forgetting past. Remembering the past moves us forward because we can identify countless times of God’s faithfulness.
Make known your worries in prayer today.
Each morning, I write my prayers out. Bringing worries in prayers allows our anxieties to be directed towards Jesus. It moves us from feeling stuck. Remember, you cannot heal what’s not revealed. Prayer provides space for us to process.
Identify three tasks to accomplish for the day.
One of my professors in college would give us this exercise. He said, “Write down three things you believe God has called you to complete today.” Worry causes chaos. Planning creates clarity. On this Monday, start by deciphering the three most important tasks of the day for your clarity.
Mark a time to cease from work.
Honestly, this one has been the most difficult for me. Working from home does not situate you to put down work. Part of moving past anxiety requires us to realize that we are not machines. We need to stop and rest. We need to recognize that we are not God. Resting brings us to this trust.
What are the ways that you move forward from worry? Share in the comment section below.
Photo by Ernest Brillo on Unsplash