The Chronicles of Biscuit - Worry, Worry, Worry

The Chronicles of Biscuit: Stories about our younger son, Tyler, whose nickname is Biscuit.

Biscuit is a worrier.  In fact, he's a worrier DE-LUX!  He worries about the weather....storms that could turn back, he worries about his safety in our house and hotels, he worries about a lot of things.  And he'll admit it.

This week Biscuit has been playing in a three-day golf tournament. Because he has won several day tournaments and has had lots of compliments about his golf game, Biscuit went into this bigger tournament with high expectations.  When we got to the tournament and saw the pretty glass golf trophies, Biscuit was confident he would walk away with one on the last day.  But very quickly, on the first day, Biscuit realized that the tournament was a lot tougher than he thought it would be.

The 10-11 year olds were playing from further back tees than Biscuit typically had to play from, and he was having to walk 18 holes, where the other tournaments he only had to play 9 holes.  He also usually practices only 9 holes on our 9-hole course nearby. But also, and an even bigger issue, was the mentality of a 3-day tournament - especially for a worrier!

Biscuit's worry over a bad golf swing or the shot's landing, caused even more worry, resulting in an even bigger score at the end of the day.  Biscuit's worry turned to disappointment, and even some anger that showed at some points (something he's having to face punishment for the rest of the week, unfortunately).  Worry, worry, worry.

Biscuit's problem isn't new.  There have been worriers since the beginning.  Remember Moses?  When God asked Moses to go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt he answered, "Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  Or Jonah.  His worry caused him to try to run away from the Lord, then he ended up getting swallowed by a big fish!

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” ³ But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:1-3

As Christians, worry is not trusting in God. It is saying that we don't trust that God will do what He says He will do.  It's been said that worry is temporary atheism.  Ouch! That's a pretty harsh term, isn't it?  But Jesus had lots to say about being a worrier.

²⁵ “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? ²⁶ 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? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ 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? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

So, what is the solution to having no worries?  Well, there could be many formulas, but here is what I told Tyler:

#1.  Pray

Most things we tend to worry about never happen, but to help our minds be clearer and help us learn to trust in God more during these times, we must pray.  Our lifeline to our Heavenly Father is always available.  He's always listening.  We should turn our worries over to Him.

#2.  Change Our Mindset

I didn't think of it as being anything profound when I said it to Tyler, but it seemed to help him a lot.  I would say, "No stress....it's just a challenge."  When we change our mind from worrying to thinking of something as a challenge, most of us are going to think, "Okay! I can do this!".  It's when our mind says, "I can't."....."I'll fail."...."It's too difficult".....that we will worry and most likely fail.

Maybe you have other ways to alleviate stress in your life.  I have a friend who likes to sing songs of praise to get her mind off of her worries.  Whatever helps you, do it! (Unless it is something harmful for your body, of course.)  But never neglect #1.  It's the best solution to worry.