Worrying

Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, "What are you going to do?" "I’m going to take 100 people today," Death replied. "That’s horrible!" the man said. "That’s just the way it is," Death said. "That’s what I do." The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan. As evening fell the man saw a newspaper that said 1000 had died that day in the city. Just as he arrived at his home he met Death again. "You told me you were going to take 100 people," the man said. "Why then did 1,000 die?" "I kept my word," Death responded. "I only took 100 people. Worry took the rest."

Are you worried about anything this morning? Odds are that someone is. Worry seems to be an epidemic in the world in which we live. The Mayo Clinic stated that statistically 80-85 percent of their total case load were ill either in reality or artificially due directly to worry and anxiety. Many experts say that coping with stress is the #1 health priority of our day. One leading physician has stated that, in his opinion, 70% of all medical patients could cure themselves if only they got rid of their worries and fears. Medical science has closely tied worry to heart trouble, blood pressure problems, ulcers, thyroid malfunction, migraine headaches, and a host of stomach disorders. An estimated 25 mill Americans have high blood pressure due to stress/anxiety. 8 million have stomach ulcers. Every week 112 million people take medication for stress related symptoms.

What is worry? The writer E. Stanley Jones said "Worry is the interest we pay on tomorrow's troubles." It is when we become so preoccupied with future troubles that our present thoughts are troubled.

"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today, that the weight is more than a man can

Matthew 6:25–32 CSB

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Matthew 6:25–34 CSB

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The Greek word used for worry is the word MERIMNAO which literally means "to be drawn in different directions". Worry pulls us apart. It is trying to live in a place you are not.

The Greek word used for worry is the word MERIMNAO which literally means "to be drawn in different directions". Worry pulls us apart. It is trying to live in a place you are not. So what is the cure to worry. It comes when we realize that worry is:

So what is the cure to worry. It comes when we realize that worry is four things:

1. Needless (vs. 25) - there are more important things in life than food and clothing.

Matthew 6:25 CSB

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Worry is needless since there are much more important issues than what we so often become preoccupied with. Soldiers under fire in a foxhole don’t get upset that they got mud on their uniform. They have much more pressing things to concentrate on.

This does not mean that food and clothing are not important. They have to be seen as part of the bigger picture. When A car breaks down do you loose your salvation; will changing dinner plans for next week alter God's plan for the nations? Most things we worry about will never happen anyway.

People today worry about a great many things. Threatened layoffs at work. Drugs and weapons in the schools. We have every right to be fearful, right? Maybe not.

There is a study that explains why we shouldn't allow fear to rule our lives: 60% of our fears are totally unfounded; 20% are already behind us; 10% are so petty they don't make any difference; 5% are real, but we can't do anything about them. That means only 5% are real fears that we can actually do something about.

2. Senseless (vs. 26) - nature and the nature of God shows us it is unnecessary

Matthew 6:26 CSB

Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. -- Corrie Ten Boom

We need to believe our senses and learn to trust the unchanging nature of God. We do not need to pray for sunrises or season to come – God is faithful. We see God’s provision all around us. We know that He is our Father and fathers provide for their children. Our experience of Him and nature shows us that God can be trusted, so worry is senseless. Remember than God cares for you. Remember all He has brought you through and believe that He will continue to do so.

God's investment in us is so great he could not possibly abandon us. -- Erwin W. Lutzer

Psalm 145:13 CSB

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions.

Psalm 135:13 CSB

Lord, your name endures forever, your reputation, Lord, through all generations.

3. Useless (vs. 27) - it accomplishes no purpose

Matthew 6:27 CSB

Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?

Worry is kind of like a rocking chair. It is something you can do, but it never gets you anywhere. It accomplishes nothing. In fact it only acts to make things worse in your life.

Irish Philosophy on Worry

There are only two things to worry about, either you are well or you are sick.

If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about.

If you are sick, there are two things to worry about, either you will get well or you will die.

If you get well, there is nothing to worry about.

If you die, there are two things to worry about, either you will go to heaven or hell.

If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.

But if you go to hell, you will be so busy shaking hands with your friends you will have no time to worry.

So, Why Worry?

Because worry does not accomplish anything but making you sick you shouldn't do it. Think of how God feels when we carry around useless burdens which do nothing but weigh us down. Like a good parent God doesn’t want His children to struggle with things that He could help them with.

4. Faithless (vs. 28-32) - it shows lack of faith in your Father

Matthew 6:28–32 CSB

And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Worry is not just silly but also sinful. Worry shows that you are not trusting God as your provider. If you say that you trust someone but then by your actions show that you do not then you are not trusting. It represents what unbelievers do and shows that you do not trust God. Someone once said "If we worry, we can't trust; if we trust, we can't worry." God is faithful in providing for His children.

Worry is not just silly but also sinful. Worry shows that you are not trusting God as your provider. If you say that you trust someone but then by your actions show that you do not then you are not trusting. It represents what unbelievers do and shows that you do not trust God.

Someone once said "If we worry, we can't trust; if we trust, we can't worry." God is faithful in providing for His children.

A sign in front of a church carried this admonition: "When your knees knock together, kneel on them." That's good advice! Trust in God and you will calm your fears and renew your courage.

I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath--these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely--these are my native air. -- E. Stanley Jones

Years ago, in the pioneer days of aviation, a pilot was making a flight around the world. After he had been gone for some two hours from his last landing field, he heard a noise in his plane, which he recognized as the gnawing of a rat. He realized that while his plane had been on the ground a rat had gotten in. For all he knew the rat could be gnawing through a vital cable or control of the plane. It was a very serious situation. He was both concerned and anxious. At first he did not know what to do. It was two hours back to the landing field from which he had taken off and more than two hours to the next field ahead. Then he remembered that the rat is a rodent. It is not made for the heights; it is made to live on the ground and under the ground. Therefore the pilot began to climb. He went up a thousand feet, then another thousand and another until he was more than twenty thousand feet up. The gnawing ceased. The rat was dead. He could not survive in the atmosphere of those heights. More than two hours later the pilot brought the plane safely to the next landing field and found the dead rat. Brothers and sisters in Christ, worry is a rodent. It cannot live in the secret place of the Most High. It cannot breathe in the atmosphere made vital by prayer and familiarity with the Scripture. Worry dies when we ascend to the Lord through prayer and His Word.

God's prescription for worry is simple. Take this little verse, memorize it and claim it often.

Philippians 4:6 CSB

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It says to give your worry to God and fill your heart with thankfulness.

Leave tomorrow's trouble to tomorrow's strength; tomorrow's work to tomorrow's time; tomorrow's trial to tomorrow's grace and to tomorrow's God.

Don't try living tomorrow before it comes. Give all your fears and uncertainties to Jesus.

Yard by yard life is hard, but inch by inch it is a cinch.