Catherine Brown shares about worry

Catherine Brown

This morning as I was driving our six year old son Samuel to school he looked at me and said, "I know what your bag of worries is...pause...it's your brain." I laughed out loud at his totally unprompted and unexpected comment and Samuel started to laugh too. He went on to say, "If you don't talk about your worries your head gets bigger and bigger and bigger." Now guffawing with laughter I added, "And it bursts!" and my little boy and I giggled the rest of the way to school. As he kissed me goodbye I smiled and said "we can talk about this some more later Samuel."

Well, I've mulled it over all morning and just couldn't resist sharing it with you!

Samuel had a difficult day at school yesterday. The details are somewhat vague but the general picture is that he got into a scrap with two other friends and ended up having his head banged against a concrete wall by both of them. He was given an ice pack by the school and came home sporting a large bump on the side of his head and a sticker on his school sweatshirt that said, "Please keep an eye on me I banged my head today!"

We talked about last night and I tried to decipher what had actually happened but the truth is I might never know. I think Samuel may have been a bit naughty too. I asked him if he and the other boys had said sorry to each other, but he couldn't quite remember. We had a little chat about being kind and also about apologising when we do something wrong.

It is possible that at some point during the incident yesterday and the follow up care the school provided that someone used the phrase 'bag of worries' to Samuel. As he thought this through, he came to the conclusion that worrying and anxiety can mess up your head (in this case both literally and figuratively). In Scotland we have a phrase for when something is upsetting you or annoying you. We might say, "that is doing my head in!" What does the Bible say when our heads hurt with worry?

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:6-9

Scripture encourages us to put our 'bag of worries' at the feet of Jesus and rest in His tender loving care. He enables us in grace to be self-controlled and to resist the enemy of our souls. By faith we are able to stand firm and follow in our Master's footsteps.

God bless you all today and grant you grace to cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.