Medicine For Our Worrying
Medicine for Our Worrying
Some of us have PH.D in worrying from the famous Anxiety University. Of course there are no pre-requisites for admission and the tuition is free, so we often go back for second and third degrees on the same day. Many are dying because of the disease of worrying. High blood pressure (BP) or even some cancers are known killers and they are partly due to stress or plainly worrying. I know this because I went to the doctor and he asked what is happening in and around me for my BP to be increasing. I could trace it to a project that I started and I was stressed and worried about. What is the root of our worrying and what can we do about it? Webster has the following applicable entries on the word “Worry” – 1. “To feel uneasy about some uncertain or threatening matter; be troubled.” 2. “To grasp and tug at repeatedly: a dog worrying a bone”. One thing is obvious from these definitions and that is, worrying is when we focus on a situation or uncertainty and keep chewing on it repeatedly that it becomes our second nature. We rehearse it so much that an imagined disaster that has not happened becomes a reality in our minds at present.
Worrying is exactly the opposite of faith in God. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus confronts worrying in the lives of his disciples in our passage for today and we can learn and act according to Jesus’ prescription. Are you worried? Why are you worried? You are not alone but we must deal with it because plainly speaking, it is unbelief in God. The consequences of unbelief are too high because without faith it is impossible to please God and because of unbelief, it is declared “They shall never enter my rest” (Heb. 4:3). Now you see why we are restless and lacking peace?
Luke 12: 22-34
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Here are my observations from the passage in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Jesus addresses worrying in the context of dealing with the sin of covetousness. In a previous verse, Luke 12:15, Jesus warned, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed (covetousness); a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." To me, greed and wanting more is the first root or level for worrying. Jesus through a parable (Luke 12: 16-21) made it clear that we are going no where with our possessions, so why worry. You want to build and expand your empire, no problem, but know that it can be a major source of your worry. We must depend on and trust God to build for us. Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build”. Let’s build and expand for God’s kingdom and not for ourselves as did the “rich fool” who built for himself to enjoy which he never did enjoy. Jesus is saying we can have possessions but let not our possessions possess us. Are you possessed by your possession? Use it to build God’s kingdom and you will have control over your possession.
2. The second level or root for worrying is for the basics and/or necessities of life – food and clothing. This is where most of us are. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” I do not know your age, but since you were born, when was the last time you starved to death? That you are alive and clothed is a testimony that God is faithful and can take care of you despite your worrying. There is more to life and Jesus is saying, “get a life” and stop worrying.
3. “Consider the ravens”. God made the ravens to fly and just be birds. Ravens operate within the instincts God has put in them. Jesus is saying, look, I have put my Holy Spirit in you; allow your life to be lived through the Holy Spirit. Some one asked. “How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us?” “Our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3) and God is our refuge (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through his shelter of protection.
4. “Consider how the lilies grow”. Our problem is that unlike the lilies, we refuse to grow where we are planted therefore, we do not take root. When we do not take root, there are all kinds of confusion and worrying over-takes us. God has placed you and me wherever we are today. Let us ask for His grace to blossom regardless of the dry or wet climate. The pagan world, i.e. the unbelieving are running around worried and trying to change their situations instead of believing God. No wonder why we have so many divorces today. When my wants and desires are not being met my way, we cut and run and keeping running from disaster to another.
5. Seek first his kingdom. This is the solution to our worrying. In worrying, we are actually prioritizing who and what comes first. Basically, when I worry, I am saying, this problem is the most import thing in my life right now and I have equally placed myself instead of God as number one to resolve it. I come to depend on me instead of on God. I look at my ability and look at the situation and see that that there is no match, therefore I worry. When was the last time your ability, capability and talent got you where you are? By your boot strap? Common on, that is a lie. You would not have made it except by His grace so why is it now different? You cannot add one extra hour to your life, so why worry about tomorrow that is not in your hand. Let God be God in your life because by worrying you are saying, “I am God” right now.
6. “Rejoice in the Lord always…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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 minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:-7). Apostle Paul beautifully summarized the ultimate prescription for worrying in the above passage. The key words, rejoice, pray, thank God and you will have lasting peace. We must do this daily and almost minute by minute to fight worrying in our lives. I have found it to be true. When I start thanking God for the situation that confronts me, worrying disappears. Try it for your self.
What are you so worked up about right now? What is God’s interest in it? Is it all for you and yourself? “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Is God himself truly the treasure you want or the things he provides are the treasures for you? “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You” Isaiah 26:3). Trust and thank God in everything and see your worrying stop. Be full of God’s wonders instead of full of worries. Still worried? Pray and thank God.
Some of us have PH.D in worrying from the famous Anxiety University. Of course there are no pre-requisites for admission and the tuition is free, so we often go back for second and third degrees on the same day. Many are dying because of the disease of worrying. High blood pressure (BP) or even some cancers are known killers and they are partly due to stress or plainly worrying. I know this because I went to the doctor and he asked what is happening in and around me for my BP to be increasing. I could trace it to a project that I started and I was stressed and worried about. What is the root of our worrying and what can we do about it? Webster has the following applicable entries on the word “Worry” – 1. “To feel uneasy about some uncertain or threatening matter; be troubled.” 2. “To grasp and tug at repeatedly: a dog worrying a bone”. One thing is obvious from these definitions and that is, worrying is when we focus on a situation or uncertainty and keep chewing on it repeatedly that it becomes our second nature. We rehearse it so much that an imagined disaster that has not happened becomes a reality in our minds at present.
Worrying is exactly the opposite of faith in God. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus confronts worrying in the lives of his disciples in our passage for today and we can learn and act according to Jesus’ prescription. Are you worried? Why are you worried? You are not alone but we must deal with it because plainly speaking, it is unbelief in God. The consequences of unbelief are too high because without faith it is impossible to please God and because of unbelief, it is declared “They shall never enter my rest” (Heb. 4:3). Now you see why we are restless and lacking peace?
Luke 12: 22-34
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Here are my observations from the passage in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Jesus addresses worrying in the context of dealing with the sin of covetousness. In a previous verse, Luke 12:15, Jesus warned, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed (covetousness); a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." To me, greed and wanting more is the first root or level for worrying. Jesus through a parable (Luke 12: 16-21) made it clear that we are going no where with our possessions, so why worry. You want to build and expand your empire, no problem, but know that it can be a major source of your worry. We must depend on and trust God to build for us. Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build”. Let’s build and expand for God’s kingdom and not for ourselves as did the “rich fool” who built for himself to enjoy which he never did enjoy. Jesus is saying we can have possessions but let not our possessions possess us. Are you possessed by your possession? Use it to build God’s kingdom and you will have control over your possession.
2. The second level or root for worrying is for the basics and/or necessities of life – food and clothing. This is where most of us are. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” I do not know your age, but since you were born, when was the last time you starved to death? That you are alive and clothed is a testimony that God is faithful and can take care of you despite your worrying. There is more to life and Jesus is saying, “get a life” and stop worrying.
3. “Consider the ravens”. God made the ravens to fly and just be birds. Ravens operate within the instincts God has put in them. Jesus is saying, look, I have put my Holy Spirit in you; allow your life to be lived through the Holy Spirit. Some one asked. “How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us?” “Our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3) and God is our refuge (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through his shelter of protection.
4. “Consider how the lilies grow”. Our problem is that unlike the lilies, we refuse to grow where we are planted therefore, we do not take root. When we do not take root, there are all kinds of confusion and worrying over-takes us. God has placed you and me wherever we are today. Let us ask for His grace to blossom regardless of the dry or wet climate. The pagan world, i.e. the unbelieving are running around worried and trying to change their situations instead of believing God. No wonder why we have so many divorces today. When my wants and desires are not being met my way, we cut and run and keeping running from disaster to another.
5. Seek first his kingdom. This is the solution to our worrying. In worrying, we are actually prioritizing who and what comes first. Basically, when I worry, I am saying, this problem is the most import thing in my life right now and I have equally placed myself instead of God as number one to resolve it. I come to depend on me instead of on God. I look at my ability and look at the situation and see that that there is no match, therefore I worry. When was the last time your ability, capability and talent got you where you are? By your boot strap? Common on, that is a lie. You would not have made it except by His grace so why is it now different? You cannot add one extra hour to your life, so why worry about tomorrow that is not in your hand. Let God be God in your life because by worrying you are saying, “I am God” right now.
6. “Rejoice in the Lord always…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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 minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:-7). Apostle Paul beautifully summarized the ultimate prescription for worrying in the above passage. The key words, rejoice, pray, thank God and you will have lasting peace. We must do this daily and almost minute by minute to fight worrying in our lives. I have found it to be true. When I start thanking God for the situation that confronts me, worrying disappears. Try it for your self.
What are you so worked up about right now? What is God’s interest in it? Is it all for you and yourself? “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Is God himself truly the treasure you want or the things he provides are the treasures for you? “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You” Isaiah 26:3). Trust and thank God in everything and see your worrying stop. Be full of God’s wonders instead of full of worries. Still worried? Pray and thank God.
Comments