Worry…Borrowing Problems

I myself am not a woman that worries. It’s not how I’m wired nor is it how I operate. To me it is a waste of time and effort. I’d rather trust that things will be taken care of, than worry about them.

I heard a quote once that said, “Worrying is borrowing problems.” I totally agree. People can get so caught up fixating on a situation and worrying about its outcome that they in fact “borrow” or create problems in the present.

Why do that? Why create more of a problem by worrying? Why not trust that it will come out alright?

It could be because we do not have the ability or the tools to trust. This form of trust comes from genealogy, environment, and belief beyond us. It may not be in your genes to trust; perhaps no generation of your family has been able to live without worry. There might not have ever been in your environment, people who do not worry. If your mother was a worrier whether by genes or environment you are more likely to be a worrier, because it is a learned trait. Worriers don’t always know that it will be alright if they don’t worry.

It might be that they just don’t have a knowledge that it will be alright unless they worry. They don’t actually know that whether we worry or not, it doesn’t make a difference in the outcome. They think that we have to worry because that is the only way to help solve the problem and that our worrying actually makes a difference in the resolve. It is as if they are trying to worry enough about it because if they don’t, there is not something bigger than themselves that can take care of it.

Perhaps the issue is that they don’t have anything or anyone bigger than them to trust to take care of them and the problem. To me, that person is God. He is big enough to trust. I choose to trust Him instead of worrying. He is even big enough to see the resolve and see the big picture. Someone deciding to worry is choosing not to trust God.

Does that mean everything is totally ok then if I’m trusting God? I would ay no. But, we are not called to worry. It doesn’t help us with the situation, rather it hurts us. Worriers have more tendencies towards health and mental issues due to the fixation on the problems. Someone who is a worrier is more likely to have ulcers and anxiety than a non-worrier. Worriers also have the potential of harmed relationships due to the guilt produced from worry.

From example, I do not worry very much, I may find myself concerned from time to time, but that involves me asking about something then letting it go. When I find out someone is worrying about me it actually makes me more distant from them. Mostly because I feel guilty that they are concentrating on something I may be doing and not letting it go. Then to get rid of the guilty feeling I distance myself from that person. I’d rather them just ask me about it if they have to, then let it go.

We are not called to worry whether you are a believer or not. You can see by various evidences that worry actually has no important purpose. Worry does not solve problems, action does. Worrying does not change situations, people change situations. Worry also does not create healthy emotions like trust and faith rather it distracts from them.

So may I please ask you to look inside yourself and truly find out why you are worrying? Does it really have a valid reason to be in your life? Does it really make a difference or is it just borrowing problems?