Eli’s Cure for Stress, Anxiety, and Worry

There’s one thing that I’m glad I don’t remember from my childhood – the stress and anxiety over potty training. I’ve relived it with my children and now they are going through the process with their children.  Dealing with the accidents, the attitudes, the anxiety of learning and teaching this one basic life skill in huge.  On top of that is the stress the child goes through – its pretty hard to go when you’re all tensed up.

A few days ago Rebekah sent the video below. What the camera doesn’t show is that Eli is sitting on a training potty chair while singing his song. Asher joins in to encourage and celebrate with Eli.

It seem to be easier say “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NASB95) than really doing it whenever trouble comes our way. Sometimes the stress and worry that we throw Jesus’ way seems to bounce right back. It’s not that Jesus is throwing it back to us in some cosmic game of catch. It’s more like playing with a Yo-Yo, we keep a string attached to our troubles, worries, anxieties, and stresses so we can yank them back at a moments notice.  Its kind of like the old horder whose throw away pile never leaves his property.

I think that Eli’s on to something. Granted, he didn’t invent this. But his success is a good reminder that one way to cast our cares on Jesus is through song. Praising Him for who He is, what He has done, and is doing in our lives and world. As Paul advises, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” (Ephesians 5:19–20, NASB95)  That’s the encouragement, instead of grumbling about the problem, instead of turning it over and over in your head, instead of griping about the situation, instead of stressing over the possibilities – sing a song of thankfulness to Jesus.  Thanks Eli!

Dale Heinold
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