Choosing Faith In A World Of WorrySample

The Power of Perspective 

If you recognize that you have a problem with worry, and that it inhibits your relationship with God—not to mention your life of mission and purpose in response to God’s grace—you probably want to change. You may think the best way to stop worrying is simply to exercise greater self-discipline and willpower. Both tools can help us change our habits, but the most powerful thing we can do is allow God to change what we believe about him. If we’re going to turn away from worry, we need to treat the heart of the problem: our theology. Here’s why: A new perspective can have tremendous transformative power in our lives. 

“Guard your heart above all else,” the wisdom of Proverbs tells us, “for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus made this point in Matthew 15:17-20. And Paul emphasizes this concept several times in his letters, including when he describes the way Christ changes his followers by first changing our minds: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). 

It’s amazing how a shaft of God’s truth can change our perspective. Changing our theology, or embracing a more impressive view of God, based on what God has revealed through Scripture, can transform us emotionally. It can build our faith and inspire greater trust. It can help us overcome or minimize a problem with worry. So a healthy dose of healing truth is what I aim to give you over the next six days.

Embracing worry rather than trust ultimately comes down to a lack of recognition of our true place in the world. Like Adam and Eve, we want to believe we’re capable of more than we are and in control of more than we can possibly handle. An inflated view of ourselves doesn’t leave enough room for the truth about God and our dependence on him. We need to reorient ourselves with a proper perspective of who we are, who God is, and why only God is worthy of our trust.

From Anxious by Amy Simpson