What Keeps Even Christians Worrying?

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:5 (NRSVCE)

Have you ever had those times when you were so worried about nothing that you kept on worrying even after you had prayed to God?

There was a time when something kept me worrying all day. I kept on praying, but I wasn’t able to let go of my worries. I kept on looking for visible signs that God would solve my problem, but there was none. At the end of the day, however, I found out that there was no reason for me to worry at all. God has heard my prayers and I could have kept my peace had I only trusted more.

What is it that keeps us worrying?

Do we somehow feel that God did not hear our prayers? Have we felt as though He wouldn’t listen to our prayers?

It could be that some of us feel that our sins may keep us away from God. And because of them, He will not answer our prayers.

But God is merciful. If we only repent with a sincere and contrite heart, He would forgive us of all our sins, embrace us like a long-lost child and have compassion for us.

This then should not be something that would keep God from answering our prayers.

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 (NRSVCE)

Perhaps what keeps us from being still is the thought that our problems could overwhelm us.

If this or that or the worst happens, we think we can’t bear the consequences. And so we worry until we find out what God’s answers would be.

Times like that, let us once again entrust everything to God’s wisdom, power and love. There is nothing impossible with God. And there is nothing hidden from Him.

God knows every little thing that affects us. He is already there in the future with us!

Even the immensity of our problems should not make us worry. It should instead make us cling to God all the more because God is our only hope.

When the Jews were trapped between the Egyptians and the wide open sea, they had a great cause for worry. Yet all of that happened after God sent them free from being slaves through His powerful miracles. Instead of worrying, the one thing that could save them was still God.

“Do not fear: I am with you;
do not be anxious: I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
– Isaiah 41:10 (NABRE)

It is the same for us. How many times has God rescued us from our troubles when we called to Him? How many miracles have we witnessed in our lives? All of these things should have strengthened our faith. But when times of trials come, we still worry and doubt that He will ever come to rescue us.

We ask questions like:

“When would God make a way?”

“What’s taking Him so long?”

“If He isn’t doing anything now, how could He come and save me?”

“Why is He allowing things to get worse?”

Sometimes God reserves His answers and His greatest miracles at the very last hour, or even the very last minute. Just like the way He parted the sea before the Egyptians could overwhelm them.

God wasn’t a minute too late. And He will never be too late to save us wherever we may be.

Even if all visible signs of a solution to our problem cannot be seen up to the very last minute, let us hold on in faith.

When God finally comes and gives us an answer far more miraculous than the one we have ever hoped for, we will realize that we have worried in vain. God was there all along. Wasn’t He there to raise Lazarus back to life?

“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” – John 11:40 (NRSVCE)

Worry gets us nowhere and takes away our peace. Would we be able to solve anything if we worry more?

Worry gets us nowhere. Only the wings of faith will carry us in peace toward the glory and salvation of God.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest?” – Luke 12:22-26 (NRSVCE)

Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Defending My Catholic Faith and 366 Days of Compassion. She also writes about faith and writing at Single Catholic Writer.