Worried Disguised as Wisdom

My toddler boys love it when they get to sit up on the kitchen counter. They get busy right away taking all of the spices off of the spice rack and cheerfully testing the durability of nearly every cooking utensil that they can get their hands on. As the boys sit there playing, they look carefree, happily mixing up imaginary cookies and periodically pretending that the large spoons are swords.

Meanwhile, I am perched behind them, ready to pounce at whatever fall, mess or fight that may occur. My mom-brain is busy calculating a response to every possible scenario that could lead to the need for an ice pack, a vacuum or an emergency room visit. In the middle of their fun, I am exhausting myself with “what if’s”, anxiously waiting for trouble to ensue.

I don’t typically hover over my children awaiting disaster, but there is just something about my boys being up so high and being too young to recognize the possible dangers, that sends me into a frenzy of over-analyzation, and, alright, I’ll say it, worry.

What is worry? Worry is the lack of faith in God’s perfect provision. It causes us to make bad choices or paralyzes us from being able to make choices at all. It brings God's sovereignty into question and leaves no room for faith. Ultimately, worry is the foolish thing that we do when we are afraid that life won’t go our way.

Are there times when it is wise to worry?

No. But, sometimes worry can disguise itself as wisdom. A good example of this is my reaction to the boys sitting up on the counter. Since the boys are so young, it is wise for me to be cautious, to stand close by and to supervise, but it is unwise for me to let that caution turn into a spirit of fear; which 2 Timothy 1:7 says, is not from God. 

In this scenario, I was wearing a mask that looked an awful lot like a concerned mom, but in reality, it was just my fear playing dress-up. Not only was I exhausting myself with all of the “what if’s”, but I was also missing out on the sweetness of the moment with my children. Worry deceived me; it caused me to react foolishly and prevented me from enjoying the happiness that was right in front of my face.

Worry will steal our joy if we let it, so we must choose to trust in the Lord at all times. The wisdom that He provides us will never lead us into fear. Instead, as we read in Psalm 94:19, when we are anxious, the Lord will comfort us and restore our joy. 

Today, there are many things that have the power to cause us to worry, but we must never allow ourselves to be fooled by this counterfeit wisdom. Instead, we must cling to Godly wisdom; relying on His sovereignty and the truth of His word, which beckons us to not be afraid!

Author

Marsha Sommer