Anxiety, or Woody and Bo Peep

Have you ever noticed great spiritual truths from not-so-spititual sources? Every once in a while, I will see something that just makes me sit back and say "Oh!" Usually, that same "something" will come back to haunt me, just at the wrong time (or rather the right time, if you know what I mean“ - just when I need it the most, but am so wrapped up in my own self, that I can't really appreciate it.)

Consider this famous scene from one of the all-time great movies:

Woody: Great, oh great! This will be the first year that I miss Cowboy Camp, and it’s all because of my stupid hat.
Bo Peep: Woody?
Woody looks over at Bo Peep
Bo Peep: Look under your boot.
Woody: Don’t be silly, my hat is not under my boot.
Bo Peep: Would you just look?
Woody: (in frustration) Ohhh, see, no hat! Just the word "Andy."
Bo Peep: Uh huh. And the boy who wrote that would take you to camp with or without your hat.

For the past couple of hours, I have been frantically searching for something that I need for my business. I put the thing somewhere, so that it would be out of the way, but easily available for when I need it - DIDN'T WORK! Things started getting more and more frustrating, until I was really angry (at myself.) I was throwing things around, and using expletives (which were not deleted) left and right. On top of that, we do not have air conditioning, and it got up to somewhere around 1500 degrees in my workroom. It was getting pretty bad.

Suddenly, a kind of weird replaying of that scene came into my mind. I was playing the part of Woody, and the Holy Spirit was playing the part of Bo Peep (although, God often has my wife playing that part - I guess that He appreciates the Artistic Value of using her for that.)

Woody: Great, oh great! I'm going to miss having the books that I need for my class, and it's all because of my stupidity in hiding my binding machine!
Bo Peep: Woody?
Woody looks over at Bo Peep
Bo Peep: Look in your heart.
Woody: Don't be silly, my binding machine is not in my heart.
Bo Peep: Would you just look?
Woody: (in frustration) Ohhh, see, no machine! Just the name "Jesus."
Bo Peep: Uh huh. And the God who wrote that Name would take you to that class with or without your binding machine.

It's pretty strange, isn't it? God designed us, aeons ago; He worked every piece of DNA, and all of the events in history to create us, exactly the way He wanted us. Long before our parents, grand-parents, and even Adam and Eve, God knew us in every detail. In the book of Jeremiah (Jer 1:5,) God told Jeremiah that He knew Jeremiah before he was formed in his mother's womb. God knows everything; past, present and future. He not only knew Jeremiah before he was born, but God also knew each one of us, before we were formed in the womb.

In the book of Matthew (Matt 6:24-34,) God tells us that He cares for, and provides for, the birds of the air, and the flowers in the field. In telling us this truth, Jesus goes on to remind us that we are WAY more valuable to God than the birds and grass. God knows us, and knows what we need; Jehovah Jireh has promised that He will provide all of our needs, and He will follow through.

Lord, please keep me focused on You, and keep me calm, reminding me that You are in control. Father, I want to honor You with every part of my life - including looking for the tools that I need, and the classes that I run. I do not honor You when I am anxious, and worrying about things - especially when I lose my temper, or get angry like that. You promise that You will take care of me, and You always fulfill Your promises. Make me a servant, who will honor You in everything that I do.

Return to Granzeier's Faith Page

---

Return to Granzeier's Faith Page

This page was last updated by Art G. Granzeier III on Mon 29 Jul 2019