Fasting from Worry - 21-day Challenge

Do you struggle with worry? I do, more than I'd like to admit and I doubt I'm alone. As busy women, we could write lists full of worry-worthy items! Here's a thought for us for the next 21 days: Let's go on a fast from worry.

This weekend, during the week three session of my virtual workshop, I told a story about how God spoke to me about worry. When my son was three, he had several nights of bad dreams...about skunks. He had never actually seen a skunk before, but nonetheless they were plaguing his dreams! During the dreams, the skunks were coming into his room, and no matter how rational my explanations were about how "that's never going to happen - there is no way a skunk could get into your room...," he continued to worry about it. Then these words escaped my mouth:

"When you worry, you waste your thoughts."

God immediately convicted my spirit. I worry and waste my thoughts too! How can we escape this brain-draining and faith-stealing habit?

1. Purposefully pay attention to what our thoughts are focusing on. Worrying is a habit, and most of the time we do it without realizing it. Pause for a moment, and write something down on a worry list or journal. "I am worrying about _____." Having that visual written down will help us know what we're up against!

2. Use the Word of God. We can meditate on verses/truths like these that address the root of our worry:

• Be confident my heart, because the Lord has been good to me. (Psalm 116)
• You are working all things out for my good... (Romans 8)
• I will be anxious for nothing, and I cast all my cares upon You... (Philippians 4)
• My heavenly Father knows all the things I need, and I seek first His Kingdom (Matthew 6)

3. Pray for God's perspective. Sometimes, I can almost hear Jesus speaking to me like He did to the disciples on the wind-tossed boat, "Oh you of little faith." If we could just get a glimpse of our situation or problem from His perspective, our whole viewpoint would change.

Are you with me? I'm going to take this 21-day fasting from worry challenge starting now. For the next several weeks, please send me your thoughts on this topic to include on the KBWomen blog. Thank you!

posted by Krista Dunk