Wanton Worry

While prayers and time with God allayed my fears I must confess that my need to worry and anticipate was in high gear for the week prior to my right hip replacement surgery.  (see previous blog Coat of Armor at https://lorettaschoen.com/2016/08/08/naked-and/)

I worried about opioid constipation which plagued me after my first hip surgery.  The surgeon and I agreed to use an anti-inflammatory rather than the opioids (painkillers), which built a damn within my intestines.  Then I worried whether the anti-inflammatory would be sufficient in relieving the pain.  Would I turn into a mean and nasty patient, gnashing my teeth and begging anyone and everyone for relief?

Worry.  I have a Ph. D. in worry.  And my worry is Piled Higher and Deeper (Ph. D.) as I conjure up “what ifs”.  I wear myself out with worry.  I can hear God’s sigh.

Why is it while we commit to turning our life over to Abba Father, we have this insufferable need to control the events in our lives?  We tell God we are placing ourselves in His hands and then promptly climb out of those hands and say “Except for this – I need to handle this one, Lord”.  In 61 years, I have experienced countless examples of needless worrying amounting to nothing.  And when life makes me want to squirm, God is there and the event passes and I am stronger, more resilient and closer to Christ than ever before.

Matthew 6:25-34 tells us

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

Like Matthew tells us, I need not have worried.  The anti-inflammatory worked so well I was up and had my first physical therapy the same day of surgery.  There was no constipation.  In fact, when I went to the hospital and got my brand new hip, I also got a virus.  Nope, no boulder damns here, more like monsoon floods coming out of both ends for nearly 24 hours!

All that worry for nothing.

 

Comments (0)

  1. This post really speaks to me. My sister calls me “Xena: Worrier Princess.” Thanks for the good word!

    August 23, 2016 at 7:53 am
    1. Thank you for your comment. It is my goal to use my experience to help others. If I have done so, praise the Lord!

      August 23, 2016 at 9:44 am

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *