It’s interesting that most of what I spend my time worrying about ends up not coming to pass. I’d say probably 90% of those possible worst case scenarios that keep me up at night never happen.

Further, most of what I worry about isn’t anything I can really control. Me getting worked up over certain stuff won’t make it go away or help in any way. All it does is steal my joy in the present.

All the time I spend in worry and anxiety could be better spent in prayer.

I get that sometimes it’s hard to pray when your stomach is in knots. But every time your thought leads to a worry, you can turn that worry into a petition. You can say, “Lord, you know how I’m feeling and what I’m thinking right now. Here’s where I am. Meet me in the middle of my worry and give me peace.”

I’ve learned the hard way that the worst way to handle worry is to tackle it alone. The best way is to find people to confide in who will help share your burdens. Even the very act of sharing your worries makes them less scary and makes you less anxious. Even if you feel you’re worked up over something you think is stupid or trivial, sharing it makes it seem less overwhelming.

Plus, the more you immerse yourself in God’s word, the less those anxious thoughts have room to take root and take hold of your mind. But above all, pray. Let God take your burdens instead of you pretending you don’t have them to seem more spiritual. God already knows.