A few years ago, I had the privilege to meet with a church book club that chose my book, Letting Go of Worry, as their reading selection. I made a brief presentation and then opened the floor for questions and comments. It was obvious. People had worry. In some cases, worry had become debilitating. It had taken hold of their lives.

Worry is easy to do. It seems like a normal part of modern life. But it doesn’t have to be. In Luke 21:14, the disciples of Jesus were facing persecution and imprisonment. Either of these situations would be a natural cause for worry. But Jesus urged his disciples to make up their minds not to worry. His words indicate that we have a choice, that we must decide time and again not to allow worry into our lives and steal our peace. The process begins in the mind.

Worry is the mental part of anxiety. It serves no purpose but to ruin our health. And because worry is in the mind, it is a mental habit that can be broken. Here are a few practical steps to help break the worry habit:

• First, make up your mind not to worry. Worry is not inevitable. It is not something over which you have no control. The worry habit  can be changed. Step one is to decide you don’t want to live with constant worry. Worry will no longer be your default! You decide to give it up!
• Identify the thought behind the worried or anxious feeling. When I used to ask my patients what they were thinking that prompted worry, they would say,  “I just feel worry. I am not thinking anything.” But the feeling of worry/anxiety is prompted by a worried thought. Typically, the thought is a, “What if…” e.g., What if I lose my job? What if I get ill?” It’s important to identify the worried thought behind the feeling so you can change it.
• Once you identify the worried thought, don’t try to suppress it or push it away. Let it come and eventually it will go. Think of it like a wave on the ocean; it  comes and goes. If you tell yourself, “Stop worrying” “Don’t do this,” etc., it will only bring the worried thought front and center. The more you try not to worry, the more you will worry. It’s like dieting. The more you try not to think about food, the more you do think about food.
• Examine the worried thought and decide if it is true. Do this by judging it against the Word of God and the reality of the situation. Do you have evidence for this worry to be true? For example, “I will never get a job in this economy.” How do you know this? Instead, ask yourself, is God on my side? Is He for me? Will he help me? I am making an effort. Does He promise to provide for my needs? When a worried thought pops into your mind, check it. Is it  rational and true? Or is it based on some future possibility?
• Then, replace the worried thought with God’s truth applied to your life. Instead of “what if” replace it with a positive reality. “I am doing everything possible to get a job. I need to trust God and pray. It may be difficult now, but there will be a breakthrough if I persevere. Worry is taking me nowhere but down. Right now, I choose to trust God and relax in His peace.”
• Trust God to be who He says He is and do what He says He will do. This means you need to understand God’s character and His love for you. Both will help you trust. If God is for you, He will help you in difficult times. Now, we have to do our part-pray, read His Word and believe. But knowing God’s character means you can depend on Him. And when you trust someone, worry goes away.

Jesus would not command us to give up worry if it wasn’t possible. His prescription is to take our worried thoughts captive and replace them His truth. He tells us to cast our cares on Him and not carry our burdens. So, do your part and confine those worried thoughts. Do not allow them to wander into the waters of anxiety.  Once confined, think on good things.Listen to what God says  and believe it. He promises peace not anxiety.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace (will be with you) Philippians 4:8-9

Make up your mind not to worry. Fill your thoughts with God’s promises and goodness. Then say goodbye to worry.