5 Things to Hold Onto When Worry Grips You

As a kid, I grew up in Southern California. One of the things I looked forward to was taking a trip to my grandparent’s cabin located in the San Bernardino Mountains about three hours outside of Los Angeles.

One trip in particular is seared in my memory.

I was sitting in the backseat of my grandfather’s 1959 blue Ford Fairlane automobile. In those days, they put water in the radiator and the engines often overheated. As we began the steep drive up the mountain my eyes were glued to the temperature gauge on the dashboard. My fear of the engine blowing apart was only matched by the anxiety I felt that my grandfather might steer us over the edge!

Sure enough, as the miles went by, the temperature gauge slowly began to rise. I started fixating on it with worry tying knots in my stomach. Our car wasn’t fast to begin with, but now we were stuck behind some slow vehicles. We were creeping along and the gauge was noticeably getting hotter. It eventually went to the top and I was in near panic.

Then my grandfather did the most unexpected thing. He floored the gas pedal and roared out into the opposite lane. I thought he was crazy as he passed the slower cars. He cut back into the line when an approaching car came then roared out again at the next opening. He did that several times gaining more speed until he broke away from the pack and onto the open road.

Instead of exploding the engine, the increased speed added more cooling to the radiator. I couldn’t believe it, but stared as the temperature gauge started going down. We made it safely to the cabin and I had a new respect for my grandfather’s driving.

Midlife and beyond feels similar to that drive in the mountains. The road is steeper than expected and there are drop offs around the corners like:

• Is my marriage going to survive?
• How can I survive my financial shortfall?
• What do I do about my spouse’s major health problems?
• Should I step in to help my adult children who are struggling?
• I’m not sure what to do!
• Where is God in all of this?

It’s easy for our hope to waiver when the temperature gauge of our life is getting hot and worry is tying knots in our stomach.

Here are five things to hold onto when worry grips us:

1. Hold onto the hope of God’s promises. This is not a trite statement, but a tenacious grip on God’s promises. They can be a steady support in the chaos you may be feeling. And they can be a foundation for rethinking your future. One of His promises is that He gives you a “future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11)
2. Hold onto God. God hasn’t abandoned you although it may feel that way. He is sitting right beside you on your journey up that steep mountain (although He often travels incognito). For every worrying thought, try and match it with one of His promises. God says that “He will hold you by the hand.” (Isa. 42:6)
3. Hold onto to friends. A trusted friend is important to share with during seasons of anxiety and fear. Avoid going it alone. It will take courage to reach out to someone, but it will be worth the risk. “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” (Eccl. 4:12)
4. Hold things loosely. You live according to God’s terms, not your own. God is not going to be predictable or conform to your expectations in bringing His answers. A lot of disappointment can be avoided if you understand this. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:9)
5. Hold steady. God will show up for you! That is a fact. But… it will be in His timing. Ephesians 6 tells us “when we have done everything, stand firm.” God will give you the strength to press through everything.

When all seems lost, get ready for something unanticipated or even a little scary to happen when God stomps on the gas pedal. If He hasn’t made an appearance yet in your situation, buckle up as He might soon be taking you into the passing lane!

I’d be interested in your comments about how you deal with worry and in what ways God has shown up in your life.