Third Friday of Advent

Our soul waits for the LORD;
     he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him,
     because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O LORD,
         be upon us,
   even as we hope in you.(Psalm 33:20-22)

What kept you from falling asleep quickly last night?  What woke you up in the middle of the night, or got you up an hour earlier than usual?

Worry.

What is it that keeps adding to-dos to your daily list, even though you have run out of paper?

Worry.

What is it that churns our stomachs, grays our hair, wrinkles our faces, fatigues our bodies?

Worry.

It is endemic, and an epidemic, to our souls.

According to a little piece in our newspaper, here is
what most of us worry about:
   things that never happen     40%
   things that can't be changed   35%
   things that turn out better than expected  15%
   petty, useless worries      8%
   legitimate worries           2%

that's right      2%!
So, tear up your lists, give your body a break, roll over and go back to sleep.  Give God the 98% of the things that there is no need to worry about and fret over,

and I'll bet the other 2% is taken care of, as well.

© 2013 Thom M. Shuman