Worry Less, Laugh More!

Bikers Church Cape Town

Worry less, laugh more. By Pastor George Lehman Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects. Worry is the ultimate knock-down tool. The devil uses worry as an effective tool to discourage us. Someone said: Laughter is the cheapest luxury that man has. It stirs up the blood, expands the chest, electrifies the nerves, clears away the cobwebs from the brain and gives the whole system a cleansing rehabilitation. Why would we not want to laugh more? Here’s God’s view on worry… Philippians 4:6-7 (LB) – Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything (the things effecting your life); tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. We live in an age that’s increasingly fast-paced and uncertain. When a crisis is added to our plate, it’s natural for our worry and anxiety levels to shoot off the charts. They say worry and anxiety is on the rise. More and more people are more anxious more often then 5 years ago. …unfortunately, this makes it twice as difficult for us to respond well to the new challenges. Anxiety can cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, loss of appetite, lack of sleep, loneliness, depression and …plenty more symptoms we’d just want to avoid. “Anxiety and worry do not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” - Spurgeon Worry, meanwhile, is like negative meditation. Worry is a continual over thinking of potential disastrous outcomes. (The what if’s, should haves, & would have’s) Worry robs us of energy and the ability to focus on the actual problem. They say, “Worry is like a ‘rocking chair’.” It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere. That’s why we need to be mind made up, making faith-filled decisions not to worry or be anxious. We need to fix our minds on God’s promises. One great line of defence is a sense of humour. Lighten up a bit. Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) – A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. WORRY BUSTERS! Jesus made it plain where He stood on the subject of worry… Matthew 6:25 (NIV) – “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? Matthew 6:27 (LB) – Will all your worries add a single moment to your life? [it will shorten your life] Matthew 6:34 (LB) - So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. The amazing thing is even with this promise, we still struggle with fears about the future. We know this; but we still choose to be anxious and worry. Somehow, we think it helps us cope! THE HARDEST HABIT TO BREAK IS WORRY. “If you can’t help worrying, remember that worrying can’t help you either.” Next time you find yourself dwelling on your concerns, try a few of the following ideas… Worry buster #1 Try to calm down. Catch yourself if you’re starting down the worry path - change directions. Maybe take a brief walk - movement will help you release tension. Replace your negative thinking by meditating on a positive idea or a verse of scripture. Philippians 4:8 (Msg) – Summing it all up friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Play some uplifting spiritual worship music – I find it hard to worry about ME when I’m thinking about HIM. Worry buster #2 Sort out your concerns. How do you make a mountain? You just keep adding a little dirt on top of each other. The A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) have a ‘serenity’ prayer begins with these words: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. If you’re weary from worry, write them down and talk them over with someone you trust. A problem shared is a problem halved... Galatians 6:2 (Amp) – Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]. Separate what you can influence and change from what you have no control over. Make a choice to let go of things you aren’t able to fix. To worry about things, we can’t change is useless and stupid. Most of the things we worry about never happen in any case!!! Worry buster #3 Turn over your worries to the Lord. Ultimately, trusting God is the only effective response to our tendency to worry. If you do, the apostle Paul says… Philippians 4:7 (NLT) – Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Peter was of the same conviction… 1 Peter 5:7 (Amp) – Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. If you’re drowning in worry, can I suggest you spend extra time in prayer and meditation on the Word. Worry and anxiety are like heavy weights that trail along behind you wherever you go. It will drag you down! It’s time to release your worry weights hand them over to God and trust His promises to take care of your PROBLEMS. Worry less, laugh more! Proverbs 15:13, 15 (LB) – 13A happy face means a glad heart; a sad face means a breaking heart. 15When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right! Studies have shown that laughter does indeed prompt a host of positive influences. It stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin hormones that create feelings of well-being and confidence. Laughter reduces tension and stress, strengthens the immune system and protects the heart. Think about it, who are you mostly attracted to…? Sad, morbid, negative, always complaining, fault-finding type people or... Joyful, fun, jolly, positive people. Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation”. Learn to laugh at yourself. When we can see humor in a problem, then life’s problems don’t seem quite so serious. A sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive; tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected and smile through the unbearable. Rabbi Moshe Waldoks NB!!! Worry doesn’t prevent ‘DISASTER’ it prevents JOY. Don’t ever forget… “He who laughs – lasts”