Overthinking

I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.                                              Romans 7:24-25 (The Message)

In talking with a client the other day about anxiety, we discussed the idea of “overthinking” some things. Anxiety causes us to do this – we overthink. Why? Anxiety is that nagging voice that tells us that our efforts are never quite enough. That, even with our best efforts, something will cause failure, pain, illness- you name it. So, we try to protect ourselves by thinking about all possible outcomes, and what we can do to control the situation.

Unfortunately, our thinking never really outstrips the “clever” anxiety. There is always something else to consider or worry about. Finally, we recognize that our best thinking becomes circular, and we end up right where we started. Still got the same problems, but now we have come up with a few more issues that are not soluble.

Paul had this same kind of thinking problem. He relates to us in Romans that he finally gets tired of the overthinking and hands over whatever is going on with that thinking to Jesus. Our own arrogance somehow leads us to try to “think our way out of problems”.

Sometimes, our best strategy is to surrender to the one who wants to, and is able to, take care of us.

Prayer: What a friend we have in Jesus…