Word of the Week - Worry
"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27
Worry is defined as the process of giving way to anxiety or unease; allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles. A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems. Words associated with worry include: agonize, fret, dwell on, panic, lose sleep, stew, sweat, stress etc….
Do not Worry - Jesus makes it very clear and simple, He simply tells us not to Worry about our life. Just like most things of God, that does not seem to make sense to us. We have all been conditioned to worry about things big and small, it is our human nature to worry and be concerned about the uncertainty of the future. I love the fact that Jesus commands us not to worry and reminds us that there is no benefit to worry. It is truly futile and not healthy. Instead, we should turn to the Lord in prayer and bring all of our concerns before Him in prayer and petition and His response will be peace of mind. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the God of peace, which transcends understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:6-7.
Recognize God’s Sovereignty - If we really think about it, we recognize that God is sovereign over all things and our fragile lives are in His hands. He has a plan for our lives and already knows our divine destiny. In knowing this, our main focus should be to pursue a daily connection with Him so we can be led by the Holy Spirit. If we know God, then we will trust Him and “cast our cares” on the Lord and surrender our worry and anxiety to Him. It is really a form of arrogance on our part to think we are in control of what happens. God desires for us to humble ourselves by putting God in His proper place. “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares of you”. 1 Peter 5:5-7
Relinquish “control” and simply trust God who loves us and desires the best for us. We live in a fallen and sin filled world and have an enemy of our soul who’s is trying to keep us from our destiny and purpose in Christ. Fear, lies, intimidation and insecurity are some of his main tactics and they manifest in the symptoms of worry and anxiety. This force is real and is coming at us every day, but God makes it very clear that He has already won, and we have victory in Christ; so no matter what circumstance we face we do not fret. As son’s and daughters of the living God, we turn to our Lord and King and put our hope in Him by laying our fears and anxieties at His feet knowing that He is a good, good Father and He always has our back, yes even when we mess up. In our human frailty God designed us to be dependent upon Him, so we will pursue Him and abide in Him daily to resupply our faith and receive our “daily bread” that He has for us each day. “Trust the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6
So, “Don’t Worry” and enjoy the fruits of redirecting that energy towards payer and thanksgiving. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18. This is how we tap into the true Joy of the Lord, and we find strength to overcome.
Have a great week!!!
-Duane