Truth to Drive Home

I have a confession to make: I'm a closet worrier, and the thing that causes me to worry most is car accidents. Yes, I know. We're not supposed to worry. I know that if (or when) something happens, God will still be with us and will walk with us through whatever it is. I know this. I find peace in this--usually.
Several years back, I traveled a lot without my husband, which meant I was the one driving. It was usually me, one or two of my sons, and a 15 passenger van. Worry and fear were constant companions, and I fought them every way I knew how. Once, six hours from home, a back tire shredded at 70 mph. At that point, we were in the third of four lanes, where three interstates converged and ran together. God got us safely off to the side, and I was back on the road within two hours. That’s when a wave of fear took over and came close to pushing me into complete panic. The spare, although a full-sized tire, sounded and handled very differently than the original had done. Not only that, but my husband also told me to “baby” the van home. Even after identifying all the new noises and making sure the tire was holding air, while asking a hundred questions and being assured by my very patient husband that everything we described to him was okay, I worried.
With each mile that we slowly trekked, my anxiety grew. At the time, I had just completed a study on worry, so I ran through what I had learned. It helped, but not enough. Then God highlighted Philippians 4:6-7 in my mind.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7 NASB
In all that had happened, I’d barely touched one of Paul’s points: thanksgiving.
What does thanksgiving and thankfulness have to do with worry? A LOT!

Right then, I made a choice to find everything I could to be thankful for concerning the last few hours. As I listed them, I was able to push my worry aside. All those things were God's doing. He got us home safely that day. We took care of the tire, and all was well. Mostly.

In the years following that long ride home, there are times that worry grabs hold and threatens to choke me out. Normally, I'm one who loves quiet car rides, but some days my car rivals a teenager when they are “dragging Main”. Although, I do tend to turn the volume down when I get into town. Praise music, loud praise music, can drown out the worry as surely as it camouflages all the noises I imagine the car is making.

That song we sing in church, "We Praise You", is a truth that's been driven home on many occasions--physically making the drive home with me as it plays loudly in my heart and reminds me of the power of praising God. It's a truth we can stand on or drive home on.

Let praise be a weapon that silences the enemy

Let praise be a weapon that conquers all anxiety
Let it rise, let praise arise
We sing Your name in the dark and it changes everything
We sing with all we are and we claim Your victory
Let it rise, let praise arise.
("We Praise You" Bethel Music)