What's your parasite?

We all have it.  We all have something we worry about.  What is it for you?  Money, friends, family, health, - the list can go on and on.  Worry is such a dangerous thing.  We don't even realize some days the impact it can have on us physically and emotionally.  I recently shared with a friend of mine something I read in one of my devotionals - the reading compared worrying to a parasite.  "Anxiety gains a life of its own, parasitically infesting your mind."  If you want to see different images of a parasite, google it.  It is not a pretty thing and it can reak havoc on your life.  The definition of parasite says it's an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.  In regards to worry, we become its host, we continue to feed it daily nutrients and it begins to grow and take over our life.  For me personally, worry is at constant battle in my mind with the stillness of my thoughts.  I desire nothing more than to be able to sit quietly seeking to be with the Lord, hear from the Lord & to sense the presence of the Lord.  Unfortunately, when I try to have that precious quiet time the battle begins.  When I start to pray for all the needs I see around me and the needs I have, my mind kicks into worry mode and the stillness disappears.  How do we defend ourselves against this dreaded parasite?

In reading about parasites, I found out a little about the process of preventing them.  The first thing we need to do is change our diet.  What are you feasting on?  In order to destroy the parasite called worry, you need to feast on God's word.  What you put into your body can determine where your mind goes?  Colossians 3:2  "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things"  Phillipians 4: 7-8  "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  In changing out diet we are also told to avoid eating toxins (gossip, poor advice from friends or relatives, reading things that will give us unrealistic expectations, media, etc.).  Romans 12:2  "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Stop yourself before you let your mind go where it will produce a state of worry for you.  We need to also drink plenty of water - perhaps you need to refer back to my blog about being thirsty.  :)  There are also foods which actually heal the body.  The food needed to heal our sickness of worrying is manna- which comes from the Lord.  Deuteronomy 8:3  "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

We also need to cleanse our body - which means to remove all things that are impure.  Several scriptures can help us with this process.  Psalm 51:10  "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  Hebrews 10:22  "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. "  Luke 6:45  "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."   As we cleanse ourselves from the cares of this world we will be able to have a greater focus on the Lord.

The third thing we can do to prevent parasites is physical activity.  Physical activity requires action.  It isn't enough to just pour over God's word.  You must put it into practice.  Luke 11:28  “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”   Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”   Apply the truths you find in God's word.  This activity will begin to decrease the chances of your parasite growing out of control.

I wanted to finish my blog with an encouraging scripture to help to ease your worry.  As I searched God's word I was overwhelmed...there isn't just one scripture there are thousands.  If you struggle with worrying, there is the perfect remedy readily available in God's word.  Matthew 6:25-27  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? "  Phillipians 4: 4-7  "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  1 Peter 5:7  "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  Matthew 6:34  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. "  Isaiah 41:10  "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 26: 3-4  "You will keep in perfect peace  those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal"