Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Connection
In the last post, we explored how gossip, like a spark, can ignite destructive fires in our communities and classrooms (James 3:5-6). It’s a behavior rooted in the patterns of this world—patterns that Romans 12:2 urges us to reject. Gossip thrives on unchecked words, often fueled by insecurity or judgment. Similarly, worry thrives on unchecked thoughts, rooted in fear and uncertainty. Both are temptations that pull us away from trusting God and living in His peace.This post continues to encourage us to resist our natural human tendencies, moving from controlling our speech to renewing our minds.
Our Instinct is to Worry
Just before I began my teaching career, I read Teaching With Love and Logic by Jim Fay and his son, Dr. Charles Fay. One of my favorite strategies from their work is “delayed consequences.” Unlike the traditional approach of immediately nipping undesired behavior in the bud, this method leverages our human tendency to worry. When a student persists in distracting or disruptive behavior after a few reminders, I approach them calmly, and our exchange may go something like this:
Me: “It seems you’re having trouble staying quiet and focused today.”
Student: “What do you mean?”
Me: “Since you’re struggling to find a solution and control yourself, I’ll need to do something.”
Student: “You gonna write me up?”
Me: “That’s one option, but I’m not sure yet. Let me think about it and get back to you.”
A look of panic often crosses the student’s face. They may plead or promise to stop, but I walk away calmly. For minor offenses, this is often enough. The student spends the class worrying about the consequence, which curbs their behavior. At the end of class, I might say to the student, “Hey, thanks for getting it together today. I appreciate it.” The student leaves confused, still wondering about the consequence, but the behavior is resolved without argument or outburst.
Worry is powerful—it’s our natural response to uncertainty. But it does us no good, except perhaps in managing a classroom.
Worry’s Temptation
Teachers face countless opportunities to worry daily. We’re under pressure to perform, yet our effectiveness is judged by our students’ performance—students from diverse backgrounds, with unique strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances. How can we be held accountable for their test scores or behavior? Yet we are, along with many other, often unrealistic, outcomes and expectations.
Beyond professional pressures, if you’re called to teach, you also worry about your students, especially those you know well. You care about their struggles, their futures, their well-being. But worry changes nothing.
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Worry’s Burden
Worry leads to sleepless nights, panic, fear, hopelessness, and helplessness. Like the disruptive student fixated on an unknown consequence, worry disrupts our productivity, keeping us focused on what we can’t change rather than what we can. Resisting the world’s pattern of worry requires trusting God, renewing our minds, and acting contrary to our nature.
1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Worry’s Wrong
Jesus teaches that worry is futile. It can’t add height to our stature or years to our life. It solves no problems—it only creates them. God calls us to live by faith, not fear, finding peace in His provision.
Matthew 6:27, 34 – “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? … Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
God’s Delayed Benefits
My worry often stems from my inability to control outcomes. But I’ve learned that when I’m patient and trust God, He works things out. Like the “delayed consequences” strategy, God sometimes gets our attention, hears our prayers, and says, “Ok. But wait.”
Waiting can be painful. Yet, when we release our grip on what we can’t control, trust God’s plan, and resist worry, we reap the benefits of living in His will. It’s not always pleasant or what we want, but it brings peace. Let us purposefully renew our minds daily with the Word that tells us that God provides wisdom, strength, and peace when we rest in His promise to work all things for our good.
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Prayer: Lord, help me to recognize situations that tempt me to worry. I know that part of my job is to be concerned: to want to do a good job and to want my students to have the best. Help me to recognize my own limitations. Help me renew my mind in Your Word and trust Your plan instead of dwelling on worry, knowing that You will work all things out for my good. – Amen
Leave a Reply