According to a study reported by the Express newspaper in the UK, women spend almost two hours a day worrying, which translates into one month a year. Men worry much less.
Maybe you are shocked by those results. Perhaps two hours seems a lot. Maybe, you’re thinking “I worry way more than two hours each day!”
This got me thinking, what can we do to worry less?
Jesus said “don’t worry about your day-to-day living,” and “don’t worry about what will happen tomorrow.”
He also said worrying doesn’t help. We know worrying leaves us exhausted, but it’s hard to stop. And in the wise words of Corrie Ten Boom: Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.
What better way to overcome our worries and anxiousness than to thank God for his promises and draw our strength from his promises.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6
Let’s fill our day with God’s strength given to us through his promises.
The study in the Express also listed the top 40 things that women worry about most.
Top 10 Worries
I’ve condensed them and listed the top 10 worries below. I found corresponding promises of God that you can make into prayers of your own so you worry less and draw more strength from God.
Worry 1: What’s going on in the world at the moment
For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations. Psalm 66:7 NLT
Worry 2: Not getting enough sleep
I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8 CEV
Worry 3: Finances
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Matthew 6:30 NLT
Worry 4: YOur appearance
What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. 1 Peter 3:3-4
Worry 5: A relative or friend’s bad health
A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity. Proverbs 17:17 NET
Worry 6. Getting older
Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. Job 12:12 NLT
Worry 7. Family safety
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. Psalm 28:7
Worry 8. Being late or running out of time to do something
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3
Worry 9. Work and job security
Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you. Colossians 3:23-24 CEV
Worry 10. Whether what you’re doing is good enough
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT
You can read the Express article here.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash