Worry is tiring. It follows us to bed and wakes up before we do. Many of us feel ashamed of it too, as if a good Christian would not worry so much.
There is a story where Jesus talked to a worried friend, and the way he did it is very kind.
A busy kitchen
Jesus had friends in a village near Jerusalem. Two of them were sisters, Martha and Mary. One day Jesus came to their house, and Martha welcomed him in.
Then Martha got busy. There was food to make and a house full of guests. She was running back and forth.
Her sister Mary was not helping. Mary was sitting on the floor near Jesus, listening to him talk.
Martha got more and more upset. Finally she came to Jesus and said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me."
What Jesus said
The Gospel of Luke, one of the four accounts of Jesus's life, tells us what he said. He answered her gently. He said her name two times, the way you talk to someone you love.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.
Luke 10:41 · King James VersionThe original Greek
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ κύριος· Μάρθα Μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ θορυβάζῃ περὶ πολλά,
Found in Papyrus 75 (about AD 200), Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
In old English, "careful" meant full of cares. He saw how much she was carrying. Then he told her that only one thing was really needed, and Mary had chosen it. Mary had chosen to be with him.
What it means for you
Jesus did not tell Martha her work was bad. Cooking for guests is a kind thing to do. But he could see that the worry had taken over, and it was keeping her from the one person she had opened her door for.
If you are worried right now, Jesus speaks to you gently. He says your name the way he said hers. And he invites you to sit down for a minute, even with the dishes still in the sink. You can tell him what you are carrying. You do not have to carry all of it alone.