很可悲，我们的人生中花在担忧的时间真是不少；作父母的为他们的孩子担忧，结了婚的人为他的配偶担忧，除此之外，人们总是为钱财而担忧。什么是“担忧”或者“忧虑”呢？担忧或者忧虑就是你对某一件事或者某一个人感到不是那么简单、特别需要花时间来思虑的一种状态。担忧和忧虑是很自然的事情，也是很正常的事情。但是当担忧绑架了一个人，使这个人不能正常地生活和工作的时候，这就成为了一个问题。过度的担忧和忧虑不仅可以给一个人的造成思想上的大问题，也会造成一个人生活上的大问题。

通常过度担忧的人的心脏会有一些病状，也可能在消化系统有些问题，同时伴随着头痛。另外，过度的担忧与忧郁症也有一定的联系。有人把这种过度的担忧称为“有毒的担忧”。这“有毒的担忧”意思是这样的担忧毒害了人们的思想也毒害了身体。具有了“有毒的担忧”的人常常就容易得忧郁症，因为他们被担忧、害怕所绑架，以至于轻易地放弃了对未来的追求。当发展到这个地步的时候，这些人就会觉得活下去没有意义了。他们会比常人多睡，昏昏沉沉地睡，对社交活动不感兴趣。他们会感到没有理由要继续活下去，生活没有目标。

如果你是这样的一个人，或者知道有人是出于这样的情况，我们在这里为你提供一些有效的信息。其实，你不是世界上唯一处于这种情况的人。世界上有成千上万的人被这种“担忧”干扰着。通常，周期性的担忧是短暂的，随着时间的迁移担忧减轻了，也有的是随着情况的改变，担忧也就消失了。你要注意是什么事情造成了你的担忧。研究显示，有一些担忧是因为食物引起的，也有因为缺乏体育锻炼造成的，也有因为睡眠不足而引发的，甚至有些健康问题也会所带来担忧的。要用积极的思维来战胜消极的思维。要知道，担忧不能给你带来任何正面的效果，也不能改变你所处的事态。事实上百分之八十的担忧是过度的，是担忧了没有发生的事情；我们所担忧的百分之十的事情确实发生了，但是没有我们想象的那么糟糕；而另外那百分之十，无论我们担忧还是没有担忧都发生了。所以为什么我们要有担忧？要发生的事情总是要发生的！

科尼.坦.伯恩女士是一位在第二次世界大战时德国集中营的幸存的基督徒，她写道，“担忧不能消除明日的疼痛，却消灭了今日的勇气”。事实上，圣经清楚地鼓励我们如何来面对担忧。

圣经《腓立比书》第四章第六、七节说，“你们应该一无挂虑；要在祷告中把你们所需要的告诉上帝，用感谢的心祈求。上帝所赐那超越人所能理解的平安，会藉着基督耶稣，保守你们的心怀意念。”

讨论问题：

1.  你在担忧什么?

2.  你是如何使你自己不再担忧的？

3.  你是否同意科尼.坦.伯恩女士所说的，“担忧不能消除明日的疼痛，却消灭了今日的勇气”？

4.  如果你有一个朋友过度地担忧，你将会怎样劝说他？

All of us will spend part of our life worrying about something. A parent will worry over their child. A spouse will worry about their husband or wife. We all will worry about money from time to time. What is worrying? Worrying is when we feel uneasy or overly concerned about a situation or a problem. It is natural or normal to worry. However, when worrying begins to paralyze a person and they are not able to function there is a problem. Too much worrying can create major problems within a person’s life, both mentally and physically.

It is common for people who worry too much to experience problems with their heart, digestive system, and may experience headaches. There is also a strong link between worrying too much and depression. Some people refer to this kind of worrying as “toxic worrying.” Toxic worrying is a good name because it is anxiety that poisons the mind and body. Depression is a common problem for those who experience toxic worrying, because they become paralyzed in fear or worry and simply give up the desire to live. People in this state of mind may consider that life is not worth living. They may sleep more than normal and have no desire to do anything socially. They feel that there is no reason or purpose in life.

If you are a person who tends to worry or know someone who does, here is some helpful information. You are not alone. Millions of people suffer from anxiety problems. Usually, periods of anxiety or worrying are temporary. Many times they are like the seasons of the year and things will change. Watch for indicators that may help to trigger your anxieties. Some studies show that times of anxiety can be triggered by one’s diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, and general health. Fight negative thinking with positive thinking. Be reminded that worrying does not accomplish anything and will never change any situation. It has been said that 80% of what we worry about will never happen. Ten percent will happen, but not be as bad as we first thought. The other ten percent will happen regardless of worrying about it…..so, why worry at all? You can’t stop it.

Corrie ten Boom, a Christian lady who survived German concentration camps in World War II, wrote, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” In fact, the Bible gives wonderful encouragement about worrying.

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1.  What do you worry about?

2.  How do you stop yourself from worrying to much?

3.  Do you agree with Corrie ten Boom's statement, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength"?

4.  What advice could you give to a friend who is worrying about something?