Cast all your anxieties on Him for He cares for you. Peter 5:7, NIV
After I started teaching, Sundays—the day of the week usually set aside for rest and recalibration—became a day of worry and stress about the week ahead for me. My mind would race from “what if” to “what could be,” always ending with a negative outcome. And it definitely didn’t help if I opened up my social media or email.
However, I was eventually able to find some intentional and practical ways to give my worries and anxieties to God, regain a healthy work-life balance, and grow closer to Him in the process. The following practices helped me say goodbye to the “Sunday Scaries” and get back to the relaxing weekends I so desperately needed:
- Turn to Him. Journal, talk, pray, sing. Find ways to turn your anxious thoughts into heartfelt requests and supplications in whatever way is most comfortable to you. This will help you clear your mind and it will increase your faith when He responds to you.
- Turn it Off. By intentionally taking time to turn off electronics, work email, social media, and other distractions, you might just be able to tune into Him more clearly. When we feel the need to constantly be on technology, we never afford ourselves the opportunity to seek peace and find calm. Allowing your brain to refocus on things outside of work can also give you the bandwidth to focus on what He is preparing you for during the upcoming week, quarter, year, or season.
- Try Other Activities. Instead of using Sundays to catch up on work, try using Sundays to pour into a worship service, extend your morning devotional time, or take a walk in nature (sans cell phones or other devices). When you devote your time to other activities that bring you joy, you will decrease your stress and anxiety about the upcoming week, and be able to focus on right now.
What keeps you up on a Sunday night? And when was the last time you turned to Him to help with the situation? Instead of stewing and stressing about things that are out of your control, try turning to Him. He will ease your anxious thoughts and help you direct them into prayers of gratitude, not the worries and “what ifs.”
Do you have another strategy for silencing the Sunday Scaries? Or do you have another way to offer readers support? Please drop a note in the comments or engage with us on Facebook.
Thank you for continuing to Let Them See His work through you, and for sharing your wisdom with other educators.
