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Episode 028\\u2014Worrier or Warrior

It goes without saying that we all would rather be a warrior for God than a person who is a worrier. A worrier is trying to use their own resources to solve problems. A warrior knows she has to use God\\u2019s divine weapons. There is nothing else that will work. And yet, we still try to solve our own problems.\\xa0

Overthinking

When we worry we are actually praying to ourselves. We aren\\u2019t asking anyone else to help us. We are going over and over and over the problem we have and examining it from every angle.

We\\u2019re definitely going to the wrong source to fix our problems. We know the right source, but for some reason we feel like we have to fix whatever issue we are overthinking.

When we worry we are dwelling on troubles that we can\\u2019t solve, but we still try to solve them by continuing to rehearse the situation over and over and over in our minds.\\xa0\\xa0

We are trying to change what either is happening or has happened or what we think might happen, but of course we can\\u2019t because most of the time it would involve someone other than ourselves doing something different. No matter how much we worry about that situation, if it\\u2019s already happened then it will not change. If it hasn\\u2019t happened yet, then why are we taking up valuable brain space worrying about it in the first place?

What Is Worry?

Before delving into how to do that, we need to understand a few basics about worrying. Worrying is not in and of itself an emotion. Worry will cause us to have emotions like fear, frustration, anger, guilt, shame, regret, hate, sadness, loneliness, disgust, even rage. Any one of these emotions can also cause us to worry.

We can also worry about things that are usually considered positive, like planning a huge anniversary party or the wedding of one of our kids, especially the first one to get married, or even how to help our senior graduate. All of these are especially worrisome in the midst of a massive shut down such we are experiencing now. But even in regular times, We worry about all the details. This can be true of any new thing we are stepping into like a move to a new house even if it\\u2019s just across town, making a huge investment in a new business, starting a new career.

If you are a worrier you may stress about everything that could go wrong with what might well be the best thing that ever happened to you or your family.\\xa0 This kind of worry heightens our emotions. It may cause physical reactions such as a racing heart, increased sweating, rapid breathing, fatigue and headaches.\\xa0

As a result, we resort to alternative solutions such as overindulging in our favorite foods or sweets to comfort us in our despair over what should be a perfectly happy situation. It doesn\\u2019t really matter if our worry began with something positive or negative, it still is not really worth our time to indulge it and yet, we still worry.

Five Steps To Stop Worrying

So how do we stop worrying and step more into the reality of the present. God gives us His plan for getting away from worry. I see it as a five-step process. Most of this process is in Philippians 4:6-8, however one step is in 2 Cor. 10:4.

Step One\\u2014Don\\u2019t worry. Don\\u2019t be anxious about anything. Don\\u2019t let worrisome thoughts even have a foothold in your mind. Thoughts aren\\u2019t you. You don\\u2019t have to continue to think about them.

Step Two\\u2014Pray about everything. Tell God every detail. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done. If we are doing this we shouldn\\u2019t need to worry.

Step Three\\u2014If you do steps one and two then Phil 4:7 kicks in. \\u201cThen you will experience God\\u2019s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.\\u201d Remember peace is integral to being a warrior for God.

Step Four\\u2014Guard your hearts and minds by taking thoughts captive and demolishing arguments you might have against God or in opposition to God as 2 Cor. 10:5 NIV tells us.

Step Five\\u2014 Instead of thinking of everything that can go wrong (which is one definition of worry), we need to think on the awesomeness we see all around us.\\xa0

I go into depths about each of these plus I share an excellent example of someone I know well who implemented all of these steps.\\xa0

Worry can really damage our lives and keep us from the best that God wants for us. The evil one uses worry in our lives to accomplish what he has set out to do which is to kill, steal and destroy us. If we let our thoughts take us over, he has won.

But Jesus has a whole different agenda. He has come to give us everything in abundance,\\xa0more than we expect\\u2014life in its fullness until we overflow! As it says in John 10:10 TPT.

I don\\u2019t know about you but I\\u2019m ready for the overflow! It\\u2019s out of His overflow that I can be a warrior for Him instead of a worrier.

I know worry is a big reason why many find themselves overeating and not knowing why. So let me help you with that. Doors are open now for Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy. Go here: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers-christian-weight-loss-academy/.