Mine!

Our toddler uses this word all day long. Everything he touches is “Mine!” Everything he sees is “Mine!” If the item in question is one that he really shouldn’t have, and we attempt to take it away from him – he closes his eyes tight, grips the thing with all his might and screams “MIIIIIIIIIINNNE!”

I know this phase will pass. It’s funny though, because in some ways I think that is probably how God sees us. When we are having troubles and worries, we grip them tight even when He wants us to give them up to Him, and have some faith that everything will work out as it should.

I’m a worrier. I have been for years. I worry about the health & safety of my family. I worry about politics and what would happen if one of us lost a job. I worry about any old thing. I often have to be reminded to have a little faith, and let go.

Once when I was pregnant, I woke from an afternoon nap in a complete panic. “Are we going to let the baby drive in town?” I asked my husband urgently. He looked confused, and said, “Well, not right away.” Yes, I know – very funny. I wasn’t worried about the baby driving, but I was worried that in 15 or 16 years, our son will be learning to drive in a metro area instead of a small town like we both did. Clearly this is not something that needs to be dealt with anytime soon….but I stewed about it anyway.

I acted like a little child. I took that silly worry, closed my eyes tight and gripped it close and yelled, “MINE!” What I should have done right away, was breathe deeply and pray about it. I did eventually let that worry go, but in time others have replaced it.

Today I’m worried again. Seemingly all of a sudden, several of my family members are facing fairly serious health issues, medical tests, surgery etc. I’m honestly a bit overwhelmed by it all. My initial reaction was (and is) to worry….to stew over every possible outcome…to think ten steps ahead as to what I need to be prepared to do…to take these worries as mine and mine alone. But what I know I should do, is be here for my family as needed, let them know I love them and will do anything for them, and pray.

And as I pray, I will tell Him that I don’t want these worries to take control of my life. I give them up, and trust in HIM to provide me (and my family) peace and guidance during this uncertain time. And for those who are having the health problems themselves, I pray for a speedy recovery and thank God for each day I have with them.

Having faith means being grateful for the blessings in our lives, and staying focused on the positive. It means trusting that the right answer to a problem will come to us in time, and knowing that prayer can be answered in many ways.

I know from previous experience, that letting go & trusting in God will bring me a feeling of peace. It is that peace that I now choose to hold tight and claim as “Mine!”


When we let go of fear, only then can we gracefully move from what was into the miracle of what can be. -unknown