Two businessmen were talking about the economic recession. Jack said, "I'm about to lose my job and our house is in foreclosure - but I don't worry about it." Bob, his friend, asked, "How can you not be worried?"
Jack answered, "I've hired a professional worrier. He does all my worrying for me. That way I don't have to think about it!" "That's a fantastic idea. How much does it cost to hire a professional worrier?" Bob asked. "$50,000 a year," Jack answered.
"$50,000! Where are you going to get that kind of money?" Jack shrugged, "I don't know. That's HIS worry!"

Worry is something you learned to do. There is no such thing as a "born-worrier." It is a learned response to life. You learned to worry from two sources:

1. You learned from experience. After years of mistakes, failures and unfulfilled expectations, you discovered that things don't always turn out as you would like them to. Out of these experiences you formed a habit of worrying.

2. You learned to worry from examples. There are many models around you. Studies show that children usually pick up their parents' worries. Anxious parents raise anxious kids.

The good news is that since worry is a learned response to life, it can be unlearned! The startling point for overcoming worry is to realize it is useless. It does no good to worry. It is "stewing without doing." Worry has never changed anything.
Worry cannot change the past. Worry cannot control the future. Worry only makes you miserable today. Worry has never solved a problem, never paid a bill, never cured an illness. It only paralyzes you so you can't work on a solution. Worry is like racing a car engine in neutral: It doesn't get you anywhere, it just uses up gas. "An anxious heart wears a man down" (Proverbs 12:25).
On top of that, worry often exaggerates the problem. It plays on your imagination. Have you ever noticed that when you worry about a problem, it seems to get bigger? Every time you repeat the problem over and over in your mind, you tend to add details - amplifying it so you feel even worse.
What's the solution? Instead of worrying, talk to God about what's worrying you. He is someone who can do something about it.
"Don't worry about anything. Instead pray about everything: tell God what you need and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand" (Philippians 4:6-7).
 

(Original author, unknown.)
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Quoted from a good friend.


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