Ten Ways to Tame the Worry Habit

We all love the "Top Ten" Lists and here's one that's not very entertaining, but it is eminently useful. I would love to be able to take the credit for this, but it comes from Joanna Weaver's book entitled Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.

10. Separate toxic worry from genuine concern. Determine if you can do anything about your situation. If so, sketch a plan to handle it. Proverbs 16:3

9. Don't worry alone. Share your concerns with a friend or a counselor. You may receive helpful advice. Talking your fears out with someone often reveals solutions that were invisible before. Proverbs 27:9

8. Take care of your physical body. Regular exercise and adequate rest can defuse a lot of worry. When our bodies are healthy, our minds can handle stress better and react more appropriately. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

7. Do what is right. A guilty conscience can cause more anxiety than a world of problems. Do your best to live above reproach. Take care of mistakes quickly by confessing and seeking forgiveness. Acts 24:16

6. Look on the bright side. Consciously focus on what is good around you. Don't let yourself speak negatively, even about yourself. Ephesians 4:29

5. Control your imagination. Be realistic about the problems you face. Try to live in the "here and now" not in the "what might be." Isaiah 35:3-4

4. Prepare for the unexpected. Put aside a cash reserve and take sensible measures so you'll be ready if difficulties arise. Proverbs 21:20

3. Trust God. Keep reminding yourself to put God in your equation. Then, when fear knocks, you can send faith to answer the door. Psalm 112:7

2. Meditate on God's promises. Scripture has the power to transform our minds. Look for Scriptures that deal with your particular areas of anxiety. Answer life's difficulties with God's Word. 1 Peter 1:4

1. And the number one way to tame a worry habit? Pray! Joseph M. Scriven's hymn says it all: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer." Colossians 4:2

Now if we could actually put this into practice!