How to worry less and trust God more

If you worry too much about current events, here are some tips for suppressing anxiety.

How to worry less
I was doing my usual morning run in my New York City neighborhood a couple of days ago, and as I passed a lamppost, I noticed something about it that said, "FBI".

Oh, no, I thought, the FBI is trying to investigate a crime in the neighborhood. A murder perhaps? Any violence on the subway? Any criminal activity I haven't heard of yet? Oh dear. Something else to add to my list of concerns.

Yes, the news is full of things to worry about. Diseases, natural disasters and terrible news can allow worries to take over if you leave them.

But let me go back to what Jesus said about the concern (something I have to remember over and over and over and over again - that's probably why they say the well-worn bible usually belongs to someone who is not exhausted).

"Can any of you, worrying, add an hour to your life?" Jesus asks. And later he observes: “So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow he will worry about himself. Every day he has enough problems alone. "

It is natural to worry and Jesus understands it. The ability to think about the future is what differentiates us from other creatures of God and makes us capable of planning. But in the end, much is still beyond our control.

So instead of giving me a doctorate to worry, I'd like to be an amateur again. Like those birds of the sky and the lilies of the field. That's why in my prayer practice, I take note of my concerns and then return them to God.

This includes worrying about a pandemic. I take care of myself. I wash my hands well as recommended. "For as long as it takes to sing" Happy Birthday ", observed a colleague. But don't send my brain up and down for imagined scenarios.

I'd like to go back to that FBI notice I saw on the lamppost. Do you remember where my mind went? All those terrible things I thought.

Guess what? Today, when I followed these signs, I understood why they said the FBI. Trailers had been mounted, large trucks had entered, film crews carried trolleys of lighting fixtures and long cables.

They were shooting an episode of a television show called FBI.

In fact, tomorrow he will worry about himself.