The Worry Monster

I find it interesting that I spend so much of my time worrying. A devotion that I read recently talked about worry, and how it comes between us and God's plans for us. I was worrying again this morning about a financial situation that in the grand scheme of things won't hurt us. As I stopped, took a deep breath and *gasp* prayed. A particular bit of scripture came to mind.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It is a verse I've clung to from time to time when things are dark, and it doesn't look like the light is ever going to switch on again. I know that those are usually the times I'm not trusting in God enough and so I turn to him in prayer and he has a way of nudging me with truths.

I calmed down, took the verse to heart, and went on. As I walked into the jumping place (our name for the indoor inflatables playground) today, there sitting on their counter is a lovely little plaque with that verse. I looked up and went "Okay, Okay, don't hit me over the head with it!"

So as I'm sitting here in the jumping place, slightly bored out of my mind I decided to look up the verse. Oh, how much I have missed not reading this entire thing! It goes onto read:

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." Jeremiah 29:11-14

Aren't those some of the most encouraging words you could read? I know He's talking to the elders, priests and prophets in exhile in Babylon with Nebuchadnezzar, but I think that God in His infinite wisdom directed men to write the words and stories so that we can read them today and know that God loves his people, watches out for them, and keeps his promises.

I know that I'm going to be okay, and when I close my eyes and say, "Take this from me, it's just bigger than me." He'll take it and help me find my way through the mire.

What I learned today: I have -got- to stop worrying.