Worry? It is a word most of us probably say weekly ..if not daily. We say we are worried about the weather, worried we don't have enough to prepare dinner without a trip to the store, worried that she doesn't like you, worried about the economy, worried about the weather and whatever outdoor event we want to go to, worried about a wayward child, worried about an ill friend, worried about their marriage, worried about our own marriage,......... What does worry really mean?
1. To feel uneasy or concerned about something; be
troubled.
2. To proceed doggedly in the face of difficulty or
hardship; struggle
From the definition, you can see there is a 1-10 kind of scale to being worried... Uneasy ..all the way to a dogged struggle. Either way, the remedy is the same. Surrender! That's it! Surrender to God's plan and trust in His goodness. If we can put our faith in action, worry has no control over us. If we can choose to surrender to a loving God, our heavenly father, we logically have no need to worry.
Who is in charge of our lives? If it is me, I have every reason to be scared out of my mind. If it is God, then being worried just wastes precious time and energy. Either God will take care of the problem..without me doing one thing...or He will show me what He wants me to do to navigate through the problem. We can't be surprised by problems.. because... Jesus said we will have them. But what a blessing that He says we are of great value to Him..and He has it all under control. So, relax in Him...
Luke 12
22 Then 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. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider 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! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
John 16 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
That is true about how worrying robs today of it's strength. It also denies us the opportunities to see God work through faith, proving that He is trustworthy. We miss out on those benefits and rewards when we worry. Sometimes the sweetest praises from our mouths and hearts comes when we are tempted to worry, but instead, we worship. Thanks for the reminder. I also appreciate the wisdom in writing, " Either God will take care of the problem..without me doing one thing...or He will show me what He wants me to do to navigate through the problem. " Amen!
ReplyDelete