Psalm 102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! You endure through all generations”.
Worry is anxiety or fear about actual or potential problems. A psychology professor Llera, PhD says “people often conflate worry with problem solving”. Worrying gears the emotions for a negative outcome. It prepares the mind to accept defeat and fills the heart with dread. Unexpected changes, built-up stress, pressure, exhaustion or fatigue blow a problem out of proportion and drowns people in worry. Those who don’t fight against worrying but allow themselves to wallow in it will be wrenched into worrying. Constant worrying will turn in to chronic worrying. Chronic worrying is a ‘mental process’ which causes repetitive thoughts or makes you perpetually over think certain scenarios. To a worrier even the smallest mole would turn into a humongous mountain.
“Worrying is like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain.”
Bible scholars are not sure about the author of Psalm 102 (A Prayer of Affliction). Since the Psalm talks about the ruins of Jerusalem some scholars attribute it to Daniel, Jeremiah, or Nehemiah assuming that it was written during the exile. Others say that King David wrote this during Absalom’s rebellion. However, the situation was life-threatening for the young writer who feared that his life would be taken at middle-age. While it is natural to feel anxious about death, ‘thanatophobia’ is intense fear of death that can disrupt the normal functioning of a human being.
The Word of God equips us to be ‘warriors’ and not ‘worriers’. Worrying is not a personality trait. It is a learnt habit which must be unlearnt.
Shake away the cloak of worry:
1. Sick: Worry, anxiety and excessive stress is the sickness of the heart. My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread (Psalm 102:4). We don’t need a medical professional to confirm if we are struck with fear phobia. Worry will cripple our normal functioning. Worrying will make us forgetful and miss the normal routine. Loss of appetite is a clear indication of chronic worrying. The medication to heal the sickened heart is meditation on the Word of God.
2. Shortened: Chronic worrying will result in the fear of early death or the fear about the future. He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days (Psalm 102:23). Bold and audacious proclamations that no man on earth or demon in hell can shorten our days on earth or sabotage God’s plan for us will shake away the cloak of chronic worrying.
3. Shadow: Worry will make the sun go behind us to elongate the shadow of fear. My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass (Psalm 102:11). However, when the sun is before you, the ‘shadow of fear’ will be behind you. The Son of Righteousness Jesus should always be before us to disperse the shadow of fear. Remember, fear is only a shadow.
“Be a warrior not a worrier”
Psalm 102:28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.”
Prayer: Father God, help me to win over worry and make me a voracious warrior. Amen.
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