ManageYourEmotionsBook8.5x5.5_RevJULY.indd

eachWednesday, he discovered that most of what bothered him the previous week had been settled. Most of our worries are like that – baseless and unnecessary. 50 Another way to eliminate unnecessary worrying is: don’t fret over that which you have no control. I learned this in two ways, first by raising two daughters.When they were young, my wife and I controlled most everything – what they ate, what they wore, where they went, and many other things.Yet, as they got older, that became harder and harder to do. Now that they are married and on their own, I can advise and provide guidance, yet the final decisions rest with them and their husbands. My wife and I pray for them but try our best not to worry. Also, during a major economic downturn years ago, I would come home from a perfectly good day, only to plunge into despair over the huge losses the stock market took that day. I had college savings invested in mutual funds, which were tanking at the time. Realizing I had no control over the matter, I soon learned to ride the rapids. As Jesus said, “Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:24). I can control what I say but cannot determine the interpretations and reactions of others. I can present the plan of salvation to someone but can’t force them to accept it. I preach the message God has given me to deliver but can’t make peo- ple respond during the altar call. I follow up on prospects that visit our church, but whether or not they return is a decision they must make.These are things that used to create anxiety for me that I now try to leave in the hands of God. One woman said, “I’ve had a lot of trouble – most of which never happened!” 51 When I asked someone recently how he was doing, he said “tired” because he had been up several hours in the night worrying about our nation.Although we should certainly pray about such matters, because we can’t control them, we should not lose sleep over them.

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