In A Frenzy

Cast all of your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

Have you ever had someone in your life who makes mountains out of molehills? Everything little thing in life is a major catastrophe! There are people in our life who are just a bundle of nerves. They are anxious, gittery, carrying all of their burdens in their backpack like a ton of bricks. Anxiety makes them miserable and sometimes us too when we come across them.

We came across a stranger such as this the other day. Dylan was walking our bigger dog Chloe after school. He fell on the curb and lost a hold of Chloe's leash. A stranger was walking her little dog across the street when Chloe ran up to her. She didn't jump, which is abnormal for her, nor did she bark. She then ran around the corner into our friend's garage.

I wasn't aware of the situation until a woman rang the doorbell and was in frenzied state. Her story went that Dylan had let go of Chloe and Chloe took a big chunk out of her dog's tail. I didn't see any sign of blood but what was evident was a dog that was shaking and a woman in a panic stricken state.

After she left, according to some kids that were with Dylan, they confirmed his side of the story. As the stranger picked her little dog up quickly, her dog took a bite out of Chloe. She proceeded to yell profanities at Chloe and the kids. When she came to my front door, the story she told me was quite different from that of the kids. She was screaming at me about how irresponsible I was. I calmly spoke to her and apologized profusely before hearing the other side. My biggest concern was the fact that she was hyperventilating so hard that I was worried she was going to pass out and I was going to have to call the ambulance.

I have to say that I am guilty from time to time about being anxious about things. To others I appear a little more calm than the frenzied stranger, but there are times when I don't sleep at night because I am carrying burdens that I have no control of. So what can I do in those situations?

Philippians 4:6 says it best, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." The relief of carrying such a heavy backpack comes next..."And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

I have a choice, I can either lie awake at night pondering and playing scenarios over and over in mind, waking up in the morning feeling like I have never slept or I can ask God to carry my anxieties for me and He will grant me peace in my heart and mind. If I can only remember that I don't have to do this alone, He truly cares about me and my state of mind.