it will give you something to do but it won’t get you anywhere.” The tile of this post is the same as the title of Chapter 8 in the insightful book I am reading. This year, one of my personal growth goals is to work on becoming more content and worry less. I came across the book Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow, ordered it and began reading.
This morning I read Chapter 8 about worry and anxiety. In it Dillow explains, “When we worry, we’re saying, ‘God can’t.'” In these trying times of social isolation and worry about our jobs, our families, and our bank accounts, we could all use a bit of Dillow’s wisdom. She provides an example in her book of a “visual aid” that helped her deal with worry and anxiety:
My Anxiety Box
“Heart-shaped and tied with a ribbon, my Anxiety Box sits on the bookcase above my desk. If I shake it, I can hear the pieces of paper rustling inside. When anxiety takes over my mind, I take a small piece of paper and write out what is causing my anxiety. I date the paper and put it in my Anxiety Box. As I untie the ribbon and open the lid, I pray: ‘God, I am giving you this worry that’s tearing me apart. As I place it in the box, I’m saying to You that it’s Yours. I give it to You. You can deal with it much better than I can.’ I close the box, retie the ribbon, and thank God that the worry is now His.
Every time I see the box, stuffed with my worries, I’m reminded that God is carrying them, not me. Once or twice a year I open my box and read through the worries. I thank God for the ones He has taken care of. The others I put back in the heart-shaped box and entrust them to His timing.”
This passage from Dillow’s book reminded me of the prayer wall in Old Jerusalem. Visitors insert written prayers in the crevices in the wall. A physical place to turn worries and prayers over to God.
I have had my fair share of anxiety which is becoming more prevalent as I get older. Today, in my reading, Dillow challenged me and others to “do something visible that encourages you to trust God.” So today, I am starting my own “Anxiety Box.”
“Choose to cast your anxiety on God. Choose to trust God with your tomorrows and live for today.” — Linda Dillow
Love this whole idea. Perfect!
It is so easy and a great thing to do, especially right now with this pandemic. I think the hardest part was to find the right box. I have another idea for you that I will be posting in the next day or so. Watch for it! Sherry