Newsfeed Insight

The iPhone app for Facebook is seriously lacking and often frustrates me when it crashes. The only thing the app will do is let me scan the newsfeed. Today while Facebooking in an enormous line at Publix, a quote clenched my heart. My good buddy Roy Hooker (http://novainitia.wordpress.com/) often posts insightful (or funny) statuses and this one really hit me. I asked him who wrote it and was not surprised when He gave glory to God for the words that came from his heart.

“Don’t let the sadness of your past and the fear of your future ruin the happiness of your today.” –Roy Hooker

Sadness of my past…

I’ve been through a lot in my twenty-two years. I have seen and experienced things that I wouldn’t have necessarily chosen for myself, but have played a part in who I am. I try (and tend to) have a good attitude about my past, citing that it has made me stronger but sometimes my reflections turn into depression. I think, “If that hadn’t happened….I wouldn’t have missed out on this…” or “If He hadn’t been sick…I would have had a “normal” childhood.” I sometimes slip into sadness by asking the “what if” questions. It’s easy to slip into these negative thoughts, almost frighteningly comfortable.

Fear of my future…

I like an itinerary. I want to know what is going to happen. Ask Erik, because it makes him nuts.

There Years Ago:

Me: “Hey Baby, what time are you leaving tomorrow?”

Erik: “Uh. After lunch sometime.”

Me: “…..well Hunny, if I don’t know when you are coming, then I won’t know what time I need to finish all of the things I need to do and then I will be stressed out because what if I don’t get everything done and -blah..blah..blah.”

Now:

Me: “Hey Baby, what time are you leaving tomorrow?”

Erik: “12:05p.m. Eastern.”

Seriously though, uncertainty of the feature freaks me out. I drive Jessica nuts obsessing over upcoming tests or events. I often play out scenarios in my head about exactly what I am going to say to so-and-so when I get to my pre-planned destination. I would be absolutely lost without my calendar. I tend to get really anxious and psyche myself up over nothing. If I am speaking somewhere, I normally lay awake all night reorganizing my thoughts. I keep these fears locked inside and play it cool on the outside. For example, I am just as anxious about medical test results as the next person and just because my family waits for those calls often, doesn’t make them any easier. Most of my fears of the future are almost always completely unnecessary. Overkill-worry, I’m good at it.

Ruin the happiness of your today…

These things certainly catch up with me. The quote instantly convicted me standing in Publix when I realized that most of my problems fall into two categories: past sadness, fearing future. The good news is that both of them are 100% preventable. God has some pretty direct thoughts on these matters:

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

God speaks to us every day in big and small ways. I don’t think he ever wanted me to harbor sadness from my past or fear what is to come. I can rest easy in God’s arms knowing that though life is hard, he promised I’d never walk it alone.

 

 

(and when I forget, he sends Roy Hooker.)