Stop Freaking Out

STOP FREAKING OUT
2 minute read
I was having a particularly stressful week. I got bombarded daily with unexpected inconveniences that continually messed up my plans.
I tried to remain calm.
One more week and we would be on vacation. I would be laying in the sand, soaking up the sun and listening to the ocean waves. I was pretty sure I had the following week free to get my “to do” list accomplished before we left. I looked at the calendar and, I kid you not~
I almost had a panic attack.
Every single day before vacation was booked with activities and appointments.

And I had a freak out moment.

I am a big planner. I’m one of those people who has a daily “to do” list written out for the next month. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with planning but~

There is something wrong when those “plans” cause you to freak out because they aren’t going “as planned”.

And that happens to me more than I care to admit. God is constantly having to remind me to~
“Be where your feet are Charisse. Today is all you need think about. What do I have for you today? Right now? Right this very minute?” “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself...” Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭

So what happened? A virus hit so hard that everything shut down.
All those activities and appointments, all the worry I had about finishing everything before vacation~ it all came to naught.
Vacation didn’t happen.
The sun, sand and ocean waves didn’t happen.

The only thing that did happen was me freaking out about something that God already knew wouldn’t matter.
I wasn’t trusting God.

As I look at social media, it is very evident to me that our entire country is freaking out. We’re complaining about our plans getting canceled. We’re either complaining that the government isn’t doing enough to protect us and heal this virus, or we’re complaining that the government is doing too much by not allowing us to work.

Instead of God’s plans, instead of God’s purposes, instead of God’s peace~ it has become either personal pouting or political. We are constantly fighting or griping instead of just being where our feet are. Right now. Today. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans‬ ‭10:15‬

Perhaps Gods plan all along has been this day, this moment. Maybe His plan all along was just to stop. To enjoy today. The extra time He has allowed us to spend with Him and our families.

But we aren’t doing that.

We are wasting our today’s by fighting over our tomorrows.

Every single time I have freaked out about my plans and my future, every time I have cried and complained and worried over how I would do it all~
God always, without fail pulled me through and showed me that His plans were not mine. That I couldn’t do it all, but He could and would.

His plans were always SO MUCH better.

And yet, for some reason~I continue to place my trust in myself instead of remembering the thousands of times He has shown Himself faithful.

He knew all along I had no reason to freak out about my week ahead.

Today, stop and look at where your feet are. Look at today. Look at your parents or your husband, look at your children, look at Gods word. Look at everything God has blessed you with. Enjoy this day God has given you and trust Him with your future. Ask Him to show you what His plans are for you TODAY~ what He wants to teach you TODAY. How you can choose joy TODAY.

How you can be like Jesus TODAY.

Our country has a 3 phase plan in place, but can I encourage you~Gods plans for your tomorrows are so much better. God’s got this. He’s going to take care of this virus. He’s going to take care of our finances. He’s going to take care of our families.
He’s going to take care of you.

Not the government.
Not the doctors.
Not us.

GOD.

So let’s all leave it with Him~
And stop freaking out.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭