I can barely concentrate on these words as I keep looking at Yoshi every two minutes. She has barely moved from her spot under the table, but I’m glad she’s sleeping instead of throwing up. Our vet appointment isn’t for two more hours and I’m already out of Google keyword combinations in my attempt to diagnose her myself. The “what ifs” have kept me company all day in between prayers asking God for her healing or at least guidance to treat her. I am worried.
There’s no specific scripture about how to care for a dog. In fact, most scriptures pertaining to dogs aren’t very uplifting, as pups weren’t beloved pets in ancient Israel. Yet, there are some words about worry. We’ve heard them before, seen them on posters and greeting cards, and they’ve been recited at us when someone doesn’t know what to say to our distress.
“Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or drink….. I take care of birds, so I will definitely take care of you” (paraphrased from Matthew 6).
“Be anxious for nothing but pray about everything” (paraphrased from Philippians 4).
“I give you peace. Don’t let your heart be troubled or afraid” (paraphrased from John 14).
Being told not to worry isn’t like pressing a button that turns off concern. But if we are doing the opposite of what God’s word instructs, isn’t something wrong? So how do we just…. stop worrying? There are a few truths that we can consider even as the river of worry flows through our mind and spirit.
God hears.
Psalm 34:17 says that when the righteous cry out, God hears and delivers them from trouble. He’s listening to every concern that spills out from our hearts. Don’t think for a moment that these things are being ignored as trivial or that the details of our lives aren’t significant enough to the Creator of the universe. He is a nurturing Heavenly Father who feeds birds and tends flowers. We, beloved children of this Creator, matter immensely- every part of us.
We can trust Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 sums it up: trust in the Lord and He will make your path straight. Scripture after scripture describes the trustworthiness of God. Meanwhile, looking back at our own past often reveals many times He provided, proving a consistent pattern of care that we can expect to continue. The Lord is capable and comes through for His people.
He understands our worry.
This one is a mystery to me. Worry exists when we are uncertain of an outcome and fear the worst. God knows all- past, present, and future. Therefore, He couldn’t possibly ever worry. However, the One who made us knows us completely, and understand every experience. We can also look at the way Jesus loved His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John 11. Mary sobbed at His feet, grieving Lazarus’ death, and Jesus was “troubled in spirit.” He cried along with her. Whether we fret or are overwhelmed by concern, God comprehends and loves us deeply.
He is always with us.
We are not left to handle difficulty on our own. Often in scripture, God follows the encouraging “do not be afraid” with the reason: because “I am always with you.” We see this in Isaiah, Joshua, multiple Psalms, and more. It is crucial to know that we are not alone. It changes everything to have a mighty God by our side, handling things when all we can do is wait and worry. His presence gives us another reason to trust Him and perhaps even feel a little comfort and security with Him there.
He is in control, and He loves us.
It is often said that God is both sovereign and good. This is not only true, but also so very important. The omnipotent Creator who holds every particle of our universe in the palm of His hand also has His eye on us at all times. This close attention is that of a compassionate Father, never letting His beloved child out of His sight. We worry when we can’t control the outcome. But the One who is in control is working for our good (Romans 8:28 is a good reminder of this). This, of course, doesn’t mean that bad things will never happen. We know that they will, though we often can’t fathom why. We also know that the bad things aren’t the final end of the story. He is with us the whole time- a good, sovereign Lord- and we sometimes must wait to clearly see it all (though it’s excruciatingly hard to do).
Yet, as I type these very reassuring words, I continue to worry. Perhaps the intensity has slightly decreased, but my pup is still very sick and I don’t know what’s wrong or how to help her. But here’s my plan: I’m going to keep praying. Then, I’m going to remind myself of all the truths I know about God’s care, control, and compassion. He said He takes care of birds, right? So He definitely cares about dogs, too. We may not be able to cease concern on command, but we don’t have to camp out in it. Maybe that’s what it means to “not worry” in this context- not to stay there, not to get settled in, not to cling to it as if it were a lifeline that would help in any way.
“Cast your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you,” says 1 Peter 5:7. We can’t simply turn off our worry, but we can give it away, tiny piece by tiny piece, lifting its weight off our hearts by placing it in the hands of Christ.
(Update: After the vet visit, we learned that Yoshi ingested a good amount of sand at the beach by licking her sandy paws and digging. After some fluids, meds, and a gentle diet, she is recovering well. She will not, however, be given the opportunity to dine on sand ever again.)
Thank you Mal. Such truth.
So happy that Yoshi is recovering.