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The other day, I decided to make stew. You know, the meal with meat, potatoes, and vegetables, all blended together and left to simmer into a mix of healthy goodness? Every hour or so, I opened the lid of my crockpot and stirred things around, making sure that the beef broth was evenly coating the mix from top to bottom. I must admit, the smell was intoxicating.
Given the complexity of ingredients in my stew, I thought about how many times in a day I create a stew in my thinking—a blend of worry, fear over things that I cannot control, and peace-stealing anxiety that affects my sleep. In the Webster dictionary, the word ‘stew’ can mean several different things, two of which caught my attention. Noun: a state of excitement, worry, or confusion. Verb: to be in a state of suppressed agitation, worry, or resentment.
I’m the first to admit that I stew, and far too many times for my liking. Even as I write these words, there are parts of my mind that wander towards stew-like, worrying tendencies. It’s easy to toss everything into a pot of mental agitation, rather than leave the whole mess at the foot of the cross and allow God to handle it all for us. When I try to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, I stew.
Do you stew?
Did you know that there is a much healthier stew than one filled with meat and vegetables? I read this in a devotional by Christian Kitchens. “A slow-simmered stew allows each ingredient to release its full flavor, resulting in a rich and wholesome dish. Similarly, when we immerse ourselves in God’s word, stewing in its wisdom and promises, we find richness that fortifies our spirit.”
Forgive the cliché, but that’s the kind of stew to sink your teeth into!
God doesn’t want us to be in a constant state of restlessness. He wants us to trust him through all the craziness of life. He wants us to spend time in His word and for us not to stew in a pot full of worry and trepidation. I know from personal experience that this is easier said than done, but I will always choose to be on my knees at the foot of the cross in surrender, as opposed to spending my waking hours stewing and worrying.
Here is one of my go-to Bible verses for settling my anxieties. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6,7 NKJV)
Dear friend, if you stew, I encourage you to seek out the Lord. Read your Bible and soak in the truth of Jesus Christ. Your life will not be trouble-free and your thoughts may still run helter-skelter from time to time, like mine, but rest assured, the Lord will open His arms to you and shelter you. Jesus will never leave you, nor forsake you, and isn’t that the best way to stay out of the stew pot?
Paul Smyth
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