How To Escape From Worry

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Clergy/Leaders' Mail-list No. 1-118

Rod Benson helps dispel popular myths in a series of six sermons:

#6 - I can control things by worrying about them

------------------------ HOW TO ESCAPE FROM WORRY ------------------------

Worry has been described as a small trickle of fear that meanders through your mind until it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. Worry, anxiety, fear, phobia, tension - these words are often used interchangeably to describe one of our most common and enduring problems.

We all experience worry to a greater or lesser degree, and the myth about worry that makes us miserable is this: "I can control things by worrying about them." In other words, if I demonstrate enough concern, and expend enough emotional energy, I'll get on top of my problems.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells the truth about worry, and the truth sets us free. The command not to worry is possibly the most difficult biblical command to obey. It's not difficult to obey commands like "don't steal," "don't lie," "don't commit adultery."

But when the Bible says, "Don't be anxious about anything" (Philippians 4:6), I'm sure you would agree that's difficult. Yet if God tells us not to worry, he will make it possible for us to obey him. In Matthew 6, Jesus says five things about worry.

WORRY IS UNREASONABLE

First, worry is unreasonable (verse 25): "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" We find it so easy to worry about material things, but it's irrational, it's unreasonable.

We not only worry, we worry about the wrong things. We worry about the trivial, and our lives grow miserable. But if we don't enjoy peace of mind, we miss out in the most important things in life, and our quality of life declines.

To worry about something you can't change is useless. To worry about something you can change is foolish. Either way you shouldn't worry - if you can change it, then do so! If you can't, you shouldn't worry.

WORRY IS UNNATURAL

Second, worry is unnatural. "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?" (verse 26). "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these" (verses 28-29).

Jesus teaches us from nature - first about bird watching, and then about flowers. I don't know much about birds - I'm not an ornithologist - but if anyone's on God's welfare list, it's birds! They don't do much beyond build a nest once a year, flutter around and eat worms and grubs. But God says, "I take care of birds - aren't you a lot more important than birds?"

Then he moves from ornithology to botany. Look closely at a flower: examine the detail, the colour, the intricate pattern and texture. God invests such time to fashion a little flower that won't last six weeks - some last only a single day!

Animals don't worry; plants don't worry. The only living thing in the world that doesn't trust God is you and me. You might have been 'born to shop,' but you weren't born to worry - it's a learned response. It's not natural - it's unnatural. The good news is that since the habit of worry is learned, you can unlearn it!

WORRY IS UNHELPFUL

Third, worry is unhelpful. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (verse 27). Worry has no positive purpose, no positive power. It only makes us miserable.

When you worry about your life, does that change it? No. When you worry about the future, does that control it? No. Worry won't change the past, and it won't control the future. All it does is distract us, and waste our emotional energy, and make us miserable.

WORRY IS UNNECESSARY

Fourth, worry is unnecessary (verse 30): "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Now we get to the heart of what Jesus is talking about, where he suggests there is a link between our tendency to worry and the quality of our relationship with God. If God has promised to take care of you, there's no need to worry - just trust him!

How many of you received pocket money when you were growing up? When you had a need, what did you do? You probably went to dad and asked for the money. Did you ever ask dad for money and wonder where he got it from?

God is your heavenly father and if you trust him, you don't need to worry where your next pay will come from. God can easily close one door and open another, turn off one tap and open another. If you really are a child of God, then God is ultimately responsible for your needs. He's your father, and he cares for you because you're of great value.

In Philippians 4:19, Paul says that "God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." What a promise! All your needs, whether they are a secure job, a quality marriage, car payments, a mortgage, doctor's bills, new shoes, groceries.

WORRY IS UNCHRISTIAN

The bottom line is this: worry is unchristian. "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (verses 31-32).

If I'm constantly worrying, it's likely that I don't understand what God is like, and my relationship with him will deteriorate. If I believe I can't trust God, then I'll worry. But if I can trust God for my salvation, surely I can trust him for everything else too!

Imagine a guy walking up a mountain road with a heavy backpack. Imagine how he feels - tired, thirsty, his feet aching - and someone pulls over and offers him a lift, and the guy gets in the car but leaves the backpack on. And the driver says, "Why not take the backpack off and throw it in the back seat?" and the guy replies, "No - it's enough for you to carry me - I'll carry the backpack."

We sometimes do that with God when we say to him, "You take care of all the big needs, and I'll handle the job issues, or the health problems." When you worry, you're acting as though God won't do what he's promised to do - that he's not there. Non-believers have a right to worry - they're alone in a dog-eat-dog world.

If you have a personal relationship with God, and you're constantly worrying yourself sick, there's something wrong. What's your greatest worry? What causes you the most anxiety? Take a moment to identify it, maybe write it down and keep it in mind as we move to Jesus' solution to worry. Three steps:

PUT GOD FIRST

First, put God first in every area of your life. "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (verse 33).

Worry is usually a warning light for mixed up values, crossed wires in your life. If I become prone to worry, it probably means something's not right in my life. Any area where God is not number one in your life can become a source of worry to you.

Commit your life - everything - to Jesus Christ, and ask him to have first place in your life. Stop living for things and start living for God. Stop responding to unnecessary crises, and start responding to God's promises.

FOCUS ON TODAY

Second, live one day at a time. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (verse 34). There are two days of the week you should never worry about: yesterday and tomorrow. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!

Make a practice of living one day at a time, because if you worry about tomorrow, you're likely to miss out on today's blessings, and you'll add more responsibilities and burdens to your life.

It's not possible to experience more than one day at a time, so why worry about it? By all means plan for tomorrow, but focus on today. In Matthew 6:11, Jesus teaches his followers to pray, "Give us our daily bread." - "daily," not weekly or monthly - one day at a time.

RELY ON GOD

Finally, let God care for things beyond your control. Worry and trust don't go together. When you invite worry in the front door of your life, faith goes out the back door. So you ask, "Will I trust my worries, or will I trust God?" There are many things beyond your control, but there's nothing beyond God's control.

Philippians 4:6-7 (LB): "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God all your needs . . . If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."

When circumstances are against you, or you need to make a tough decision, you have two alternatives: panic or pray. If it isn't worth praying about, it isn't worth worrying about. But if it's worth worrying about, it's worth praying about.

Romans 8:32 (LB): "Since God didn't spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us, won't he surely give us everything else?"

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You can contact Rev Rod Benson by e-mail at <>. To subscribe direct to his weekly sermons, e-mail him with "subscribe" in the subject.

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