Worried Shoes

I spend a lot of time driving back and forth to school during the week. It gives me a lot of time to listen to music that I haven’t listened to in a while. Today as I drove, I picked something from my mp3 player and began enjoying what I chose. As I got closer to school, a particular song came on. I have always liked this song and sang along. But for some reason today, I actually heard what I was singing. “My worried shoes. And with every step that I'd take I'd remember my mistake. As I marched further and further away. In my worried shoes.” Wait, WHAT? I need to restart this song, so I hit the button. “My worried shoes. And my shoes took me down a crooked path. Away from all welcome mats.” Man this is really speaking to me. I stopped the song and went into class. As soon as I got back to the car, I hit play but then replay again. This time I really listened to ALL the lyrics:

I took my lucky break and I broke it in two

Put on my worried shoes

My worried shoes

And my shoes took me so many miles and they never wore out

My worried shoes

I made a mistake and I never forgot

I tied knots in the laces of

My worried shoes

And with every step that I'd take I'd remember my mistake

As I marched further and further away

In my worried shoes

My worried shoes

And my shoes took me down a crooked path

Away from all welcome mats

My worried shoes

And then one day I looked around and I found the sun shining down

And I took off my worried shoes

And the feet broke free

I didn't need to wear

Then I knew the difference between worrying and caring

'Cause I've got a lot of walking to do

And I don't want to wear

My worried shoes

How many times do we put on our worried shoes because we forget that God can handle the situation? For a little while, those shoes seem to hold up pretty good and carry us along our way. However, it doesn’t last a long time. There is always something that ties us up and we realize how big of a mistake it was to put on those worried shoes. At that point in time, we have gone so far with our shoes that it seems like we will never be able to take them off. So we just keep walking further we encounter a rough path that leads us away from the place that would welcome us without question during our situation. Until finally while in these shoes, we realize we just can’t do it anymore. We fall down and finally look up and see God shining down on us with open arms. We finally give up our thought of “I got this” and give those shoes over. Once we do, man do our feet feel so much better and our blisters are automatically healed. The heaviness is lifted and we feel free. We now see the difference of us worrying against allowing God to handle it. He has a lot more walking planned for us and it would be so much easier for us to do if we left those worried shoes off.

 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” ~ Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?” ~ Luke 12:25-26 (NLT)

Are we going to be able to add anything to our lives if we worry? NO! I think it is pretty clear that God doesn't want us to worry. There are several more scriptures that we could look at about not taking things on ourselves and letting God take care of it all.

My challenge for you… Are you wasting time by worrying? Do you even realize you are worrying but somehow you feel sad, lonely, and lost? Maybe you should look and see if you have your worried shoes on. Take them off this week. Put them in a box and get rid of them. Try your bare feet and see how it feels to wiggle your toes and allow God to take the worry from you. Let the sun shine down on you!