Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
After finishing my shower, I grabbed the handle to one of the sliding double doors but it wouldn’t open. I tried the other door and it wouldn’t budge either. Both doors were off the track. So I was home alone and stuck in the shower. It was weird that I couldn’t even call anyone although I had no idea who I would call anyway, considering the circumstances. I thought about crawling out over the top but, at my age, that wasn’t a smart idea. There was a slight temptation to panic, but I knew in my heart that my life simply was not going to end like this. I know of a virtuoso pianist who had a heart attack while playing, fell off the bench and died. That would be a more-honorable way to go than naked and shriveled in a shower stall. So I kept fiddling with the doors, prayed for “know how,” and managed to get both off-track doors back on track.
I don’t think anyone will argue that life occasionally tries to dump panic, worry, anxiety, and fear on us. Jesus was well acquainted with life down here and that’s why He did His best to teach us how to handle it. My brother, who passed away in 2022, has the following motto engraved on his headstone: “This too shall pass.” It’s encouraging to know that negative circumstances will not, and cannot, last forever.
Since the latter part of 2014, the scriptures regarding worry have been extremely vital to me. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT). Satan is always tempting believers to panic and worry about big things and little things. It makes no difference to him, just so we’re miserable and fresh out of peace. Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi admonishing them not to worry about anything. We’re supposed to pray and tell God all about it, then thank Him for working things out, and move forward in peace. Before we RIP, believers are supposed to live in peace. Ain’t nobody got time to live in routine anxiety and panic.
God is patiently waiting for us to invite Him into our difficult circumstances so He can roll up His sleeves and resolve it. Just think how you would feel if your best friend had a need but didn’t ask for your help. For example, my dear friend asked if she could borrow a largish amount of flatware and dinnerware for her son’s graduation dinner party. I was very happy to lend these items to her because I love her. God is the same way — He loves us and wants to help us when we struggle with cares. God’s unfailing love expels the darkness of worry and panic like a thousand torches.
I find comfort, peace, and hope in this scripture: “I cast the whole of my care [all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for me affectionately and cares about me watchfully” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP). Don’t let worry take a front-row seat in your mind — just shove it out the door and give it a swift kick. No matter what you may be going through today, there is power and grace from the heavenly Father to make you into a peaceful overcomer. Just ask Him to help you and then act like His Word is true. I double-dog dare you to throw away your Worrywart button.
The Key: Let’s adopt the motto, “No Worries” and act like God is not a liar.