Do not worry

Dear son,

You’ve worked so hard to prepare for the audition for the lead role in the school’s next play that it breaks my heart to see you this morning with such a negative attitude.

The “battle” hasn’t even started yet, and you’ve already lost it. I thank God for helping me to “cheer you up”, and I can’t wait to see you again to find out how it went.

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Did you know that many of the things that worry, stress or distress us, will never actually happen? Experts say the ratio is 80% to 20%. In other words, 80% of those worrying situations will never come to pass. Just imagine!

The Bible tells us not to worry about our lives – what we will eat or drink – nor about our bodies – how we will clothe ourselves (Matthew 6:25–34). It says, “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). If it says so, there must be a reason.

God already knows what we worry about, and to a certain extent, it’s normal to worry, because we are, after all, human and limited. Nonetheless, he wants us to focus on knowing and trusting that he is in control and taking care of us.

But there is another issue: if you adopt an attitude of defeat before you’ve even tried, you’ll be opening the door to fear, and this will paralyse you, trapping you in a cycle from which it is very difficult to escape.

Furthermore, it will prevent you from showing the best of yourself, or from demonstrating all the work and effort in preparation you have put in. It is essential that you remember that everything you have to give – your gifts, your passions, your skills – have, after all, been given to you by the Lord.

They do not come from within yourself. He invites you to recognise them, to trust in them, to be a good steward and to bless others with them.

To forget all this is a rejection of God’s goodness in your life, even if you don’t always see it that way.

When faced with the opportunities the Lord offers us, we must commit ourselves wholeheartedly to achieving what we desire and leave the results in his hands, trusting in him. The invitation is to put your heart into everything you do.

Please, please, train yourself to combat this self-defeating attitude. You have so much to give.

I love you.

Mamá

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