I worked from home yesterday. It was just me and my dog, Riley, hanging out together, and it was pretty quiet for most of the morning.

Until he noticed something out the window.

Now, as we’ve discussed, I have a lot of windows across the back of my house. There are always lots of somethings to notice out the window, but he discounts most of them. Birds, for instance, don’t cause him to bat an eyelash. But, interestingly (and annoyingly) he still (STILL) barks at horses.

Go figure.

So, when he started in with the growling and the barking, I fully expected to see horses coming into his line of sight, or a deer, maybe, or perhaps the cat. But, no. I looked and looked and looked and still saw nothing. Telling him to simmer down, I returned to my work.

But he didn’t return to his slumber.

No.

He went on and on.

And on.

I looked again. Nothing.

He insisted that it was something for another half an hour.

Here’s the thing: I never did see a single thing.

Sometimes I get it into my head that there is a threat of some sort in my life. Maybe it’s even the possibility of a threat. Something that will upset the fine and delicate balance of normal or happy or the highly-coveted even keel. I start to work it through in my mind and it seems to increase there, becoming a reality to me, even when it really doesn’t even exist. I growl and bark and become highly agitated…over nothing.

Have you ever heard this?

Worrying is like praying something bad will happen.

I think I’ll discuss this with Riley. I doubt he’ll take it to heart, but maybe I’ll learn a little something. There are plenty of real things in life to guard our hearts against, without snapping at every shadow we think we see.

Why invite trouble when it’s nothing? Really, why?

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:27 NLT

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:6-7 NLT