If you asked me to name something I’m really good at, you know what I’d say? 

Worrying. 

I’m really good at worrying. I mean, really, really good. I can worry while I work, cook, clean, shop, bathe, even sleep. One morning this week I woke up from a very scary dream – about something I’d been worrying about. 

You have to be very, very good at something to be able to do it in your sleep. So it’s official. I’m very good at worrying. 

Sad thing is, I thought I’d conquered worrying. I came to Christ many years ago in large part because of my propensity to worry. As an 18-year-old high school senior, I worried about everything. The past, the present, the future. I’d worry about what hadn’t happened, what could happen, and what had happened. 

My inability to control the circumstances of my life humbled me and made me realize how much I needed a great, big, powerful, loving God to control my life. 

Shortly after I surrendered control of my life to God (he already had it anyway, but it was important for me to acknowledge this), I learned that worrying is a sin. Philippians 4:6 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 

So if God says, “Do not be anxious (i.e. worry),” and I worry, I’m sinning. And I really don’t want to sin. It hurts me. It hurts others. And it hurts God’s heart. 

So, little by little, I learned to surrender to God the things that frightened me. And I found him faithful. 

Most of the things I worried about never happened. Those that did taught me valuable lessons about God’s ability to care for and provide for me. Every time I trusted God with something instead of worrying, several things happened. 

4 Benefits of Slaying the Dragon of Worry

First, I didn’t feel as anxious. This is huge. Did you know anxiety can cause a multitude of physical ailments including (but not limited to) headaches, dizziness, depression, stomach aches, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, a weakened immune system, muscle tension, and insomnia? 

In contrast, Philippians 4:7 promises when I pray instead of fret, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Second, I felt happier. Let’s be honest. It’s hard to be happy when you’re fretting over something like a dog gnawing a bone. Worrying people are grumpy people. Ask my husband. Or my kids.

Third, I became a better witness for Christ. Truth be told, it’s hard to convince someone else to trust God with their life, their soul, and their eternal destiny if I can’t even trust him with that unexpected bill or sticky situation at work. 

Finally, I experienced more of God’s power. When I prayed about situations beyond my control instead of fretting about them, I invited God to work in and through the situation. Worry is like a car whose tires are stuck in the mud – the tires spin and spin and spin, expending a whole lot of energy and going absolutely nowhere. In contrast, prayer is the tow truck that hooks its mighty winch to the front bumper and pulls that hopelessly-mired car free. 

Oftentimes the very act of praying, even before God answers, lifts the heavy cloud of fear and discouragement. This allows hope and joy to break through like sunshine after a cloud burst. 

I know these truths. I’ve experienced their power. I’ve walked in the victory that comes from applying them to my life. So why do I still struggle? 

Because I am flawed and frail. 

Unfortunately, we don’t conquer sin once. We battle it. Every. Single. Day. 

As long as we wear the robe of flesh that tethers us to our earthly existence, we’ll battle the sins that so easily beset us. Worry is one of them. But be of good cheer. We have hope. 

We Can Win the War against Worry

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). 

In Christ, we have what it takes to triumph over worry, fear, and a multitude of other sins. Every time we catch ourselves worrying and choose to pray instead, we win. And every victory makes the next victory easier. 

Like a smoke detector that senses a fire, sounds the alarm, and triggers the sprinkler system, our spirit will learn to sense fear, sound the alarm, and douse the flames of worry with a deluge of prayer. Little by little, we can conquer worry and replace it with prayer. 

Instead of being known as someone who’s really good at worrying, I want to be known as someone who’s really good at praying. I suspect you do, too. Let’s grow in this discipline together. 

Father, you are so faithful. You’ve answered thousands of prayers and never given me a reason to doubt your love and care. Help me trust you more every day. Teach me to recognize worry as soon as the first wriggle of fear manifests itself in my spirit. Help me to use the power you’ve given me to capture it and wrestle it to the ground in prayer. Show yourself mighty on my behalf and use me as a witness to others of your amazing love and power. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen. 

If you’re a worrier, what strategies do you employ to help slay the dragon of worry? What benefits have you noticed when you experience victory? Leave a comment below and join the conversation.