In my women's Sunday School class, we are studying this book:
I love it! If you don't the know the Bible story of Mary and Martha, I'll sum it up for you. One day, Jesus pays a visit to the home of these two sisters. As Mary sits at Jesus' feet, soaking up his very presence, her sister, Martha, is busy scurrying around the kitchen preparing a meal worthy of their guest. The harder she works, the more she resents her sister "doing nothing". Finally, Martha appeals to Jesus, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!". To which Jesus responds, "Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)
One thing I really like about this book is that it doesn't try to make you feel guilty for not being a stay-at-home mom, baking cookies and cleaning house and making everything just perfect for your family. It emphasizes that whether you work in the home or outside of it, we are all in need of having a heart for Jesus.
Today's lesson was focused on worry. One of my favorite Bible verses was used: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27). An interesting bit of statistics was mentioned:
What We Worry About
40% are things that will never happen.
30% are about the past, which can't be changed.
12% are about criticism by others, mostly untrue.
10% are about health, which gets worse with stress.
8% are about real problems that can be solved.
God tells us not to worry. It is not a suggestion; it is a command. Why? As Joanna Weaver says, "God knows worry short-circuits our relationship with him. It fixes our eyes on our situation rather than on our Savior." (p.35, HMHMW)
But how do you avoid worry? Some people seem to worry more than others. God does not call us to not be concerned, only to avoid useless worrying. Paul sums it up quite nicely in Phillipians 4:6-7...
"1. Be anxious about nothing.
2. Be prayerful about everything.
3. Be thankful for all things."
Honestly, I can't say enough about this book. This chapter really spoke to me; as mothers, wives, and women in general, it seems we are greatly susceptible to worry. Any tool that can help us overcome this tendency is worth a try, and Jesus is the greatest tool of all.
Has anyone else read this book or done the Bible study version? Are you a worrier? Or have you found a way to overcome worrying?
11 comments:
I fall in that 30%....I am SO guilty of bringing up the past and worrying about what had already happened!!
Thanks for reminding me to STOP worrying about it!
i'm going to have to check out that book. (you know, in all that free time i seem to have...)
thanks for the heads up!
Yes! It was a great book ! I recommended it my mom and girlfriends and they loved as well! I think i may need to reread it though as a refresher!Joanne Weaver wrote another book with a similiar title that I can't seem to remember but it was just as good!
Yes, I've read this book.
And yes, I'm a worrier. However, I've not found a way to overcome being one...
I am a worrier.
I worry, I panic, I plan, I worry some more.
I have seen that book.
I think I used to own that book.
GREAT post.
Our ladies bible study group did this book last fall. Spoke to all of us in a monumental way.
It really did help with my "worrying" mind...a little bit anyway.
And, even us stay-at-home moms don't always create a perfect home life.
I mean...my hubby and kids have been searching for clean underwear for weeks in laundry baskets full of clothes I haven't folded and put away.
When Animesh starts dragging out his "Grinch" boxer shorts...you know it's time to put away his usual underwear in his drawer.
Because he would rather wear the Grinch on his bootie rather than go in search of his "tighty whitys."
Oops. Have a shared too much?
:-)
I've heard such good things about that book/study!
I am SUCH a worrier... sometimes I even freak myself out into panic attacks... SOOOO totally not what God wants for me!
Haven't read this one, but I've heard of it. I'm totally a worrier and fretter. I've been told worrying is paying interest on a account you can never draw on.
I'm a worrier. I think it is a common trait of women. It's true that so much of what I worry about it completely unnecessary, things that I can do absolutely nothing about. I wish I could find a cure to that.
My mother always told me not to worry about the things I cannot change...which would be 92% of life. I try and sometimes succeed. If I can focus and say a prayer I can usually do it; other times I cannot. I'd give it 50/50. :-)
My bible study group considered this book after we studied the book of John. We never quite got around to it, so I'm glad to have the reminder to check it out. Thanks!
Post a Comment