Worry

One of the things I hate most about myself is how much I worry. About E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. For example...right now I am worrying about Trot. His new owner hasn't been returning my emails or phone calls lately and I'm freaking out. When Trot was with us still, I worried about him constantly. I acted like an overprotective mother (I may have had some excuse, considering my first puppy was killed in the same house...but not to the extent I worried) all the time, not ever letting him out of my sight.

I worry about things a lot of people worry about...like moving, school starting, living in a new state, finances, etc.....but I worry about things I have no business worrying about also. I worry about death a lot-not necessarily about me dying, but having people close to me dying. I watch tragedies on the news and every time realize it could have been someone I loved. Being aware of death in a sense is a good thing, because I try to treat every moment with someone as if it was my last, but the worry consumes me whole and I can't look past it. I worry about my brothers, and the lifestyles they lead, I worry about Jay driving home from work, I worry about my family and friends, I worry about everything that comes into my mind throughout the day. I'm SO tired of it. Its an exhausting full-time job that I would be happy to rid from my life.

I know the sunday school answer....and there are certainly Bible verses that come to mind that DO help me feel a little more calm amidst my deepest worrying moments....

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you: He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalm 55:22

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

An anxious heart weighs a man down….
Proverbs 12:25

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.
Matthew 6:25-27

All wonderful, comforting verses. However, simply reading a verse and willing myself to trust and not worry doesn't work. It is ingrained in my personality. To some extent, having faith should begin to take away my worry, but what do I do with what's left? If I believe it hard enough, it should happen, right?

So why do I still worry?