The Rocking Chair

I suppose I am more of a visual learner. Creating an image in my mind serves me well in my understanding of a concept. Recently, I heard this jewel that I'd like to share regarding worry. It went something like this, "Worrying is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy, but it doesn't get you anywhere." How true that statement is. Envision a traveler that plans a trip to a distant location and then sits down in his rocking chair and spends each day rocking back and forth waiting to arrive at his planned arrival. I can almost hear the cadence, one step forward, one step back, one step forward, one step back, .... Sitting in a rocking chair and hoping it will get you to any destination would simply be ludicrous. In much the same vein, sitting around worrying about something that hasn't happened yet or worrying about possible outcomes that have not even been diagnosed is comparably ludicrous. Armed with that visual, I titled today's Flat Tire Ministries thought, "The Rocking Chair"

Worry, anxiety, and fear, I can't imagine that anyone wants their day filled with any of these aforementioned woes. Yet, I found a recent survey that shows over 60% of Gen Z and Millennials report that they have created designated "worry" times in their daily schedule. It is estimated that on average people spend over two hours a day worrying about things that are completely out of their control and in many cases are not even on the radar of "real" crises. Why would anyone want to sit around worrying, it is the same outcome in my estimation. If you want to travel, don't sit in a rocking chair, if you want to live a productive life, don't spend your time in unproductive worry. 

When I say worry is unproductive, I am in no way suggesting that we shouldn't have concerns. Life is full of things that concern us, but that concern can quickly creep into the realm of worry. When we allow that to happen, worry tends to cause us to become reluctant, we start analyzing and calculating the potential dangers and risks allowing those factors to hinder our forward progress. Picture the rocking chair of potential danger. Health scares, fear of financial failure, possible rejection, or even a basic fear of the unknown can all freeze progress. And at the end of the day, what benefit is there to worrying? What outcome of worry can be measured to support progress? In my mind the visual becomes one that depicts more of a one step back, one step back, one step back picture when we allow worry to dominate our thought processes. Mark Twain famously once said, "Worrying is like paying a debt you don't owe". Nothing ventured, nothing gained aptly depicts the outcome of spending our days worrying and fretting over things that have not even occurred and have no guarantee of ever happening. 

In Matthew 6:27 Jesus posed this question, "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Think about it, what is the gain of worrying? "I might not make the team if I try out", "I might fall if I climb up there", or "What will I do if I start a business and it fails?" These are all examples of the rocking chair mentality of worrying disrupting progress. One step back, one step back, one step back. The danger of allowing worry to consume your thoughts is the debilitating impact on your progress in fulfilling God's plan for your life that was carved out before you were even born. You have a purpose, you have been created with a plan in place, you can not allow worry or fear of something that hasn't happened and may never happen to keep you from fulfilling God's plan for your life. Your choices impact the lives of others, and when you allow fear to dictate your decision-making processes, progress is either delayed or denied. 

In closing, I'd like to share a link to a video entitled, "Goodbye Yesterday" by Elevation Rhythm. The upbeat, high energy tempo of this song exemplifies the idea that I won't let fear control my life. I won't allow the past or the uncertainty of the future hold me back in a rocking chair. "I have decided to follow Jesus, the world behind me, the cross before me!" Think of the famous words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his 1933 inaugural speech as he inspired a nation reeling from the devastating impact of the Great Depression, "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself". Fear immobilizes progress, fear places us in the rocking chair of indecision and crushes our potential progress. Think about it, what have you ever gained through your worries? I want to move forward and I certainly don't want to stand still! I want to invite you to join me as we get out of that rocking chair of fear and anxiety and step into the potential of what today may hold. As the singer of the featured song echoes throughout the lyrics, "I'm dancing on the grave that I once lived in!" No more looking back, I'm taking the one step forward, one step forward approach to life, will you join me? Let's go!

Coach Carter