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I think we could all say that we are a little concerned with the status of things in the world today.
We worry about the state of the economy. We worry about our children and grandchildren. We are concerned about the rising cost of groceries, and on and on it goes. We can be overwhelmed with all of these concerns; I suspect many who are reading this article are worried. What is going to happen? Folks, we don't know.
Do you know that God does not want us to worry about anything? The Apostle Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6, NIV. We can either pray or panic, we can either worry or worship. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:25-34), gives us 5 reasons why worry is worthless.
I would remind you that worry is unreasonable. We tend to worry about things that we personally cannot change. We often worry about things beyond our control because we think that worry is actually a form of control. We think by worrying about something, we are actually controlling the situation. It doesn't change anything to worry about things beyond our control.
Next, worry is unnatural. Human beings are the only beings in God's universe that worry. Cows don't worry. Horses don't worry. My cat, Tiggy, doesn't worry. The only thing that has worry are humans. "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?" Matthew 6:26, NIV.
Worry is also unhelpful. What does that mean? It is useless, worthless. Nothing changes when we worry. "Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27, NIV. Worry cannot change anything in our past. Worry cannot control our future.
If it can't change our past and it can't control our future, what does it do? It causes stress today, which in turn ruins the present. It zaps the strength out of our body. Proverbs 12:25 says, "An anxious heart weighs a man down." NIV.
Worry is also unnecessary. Worry is assuming responsibility that God never intended for us to have. Every time we worry, it's a warning like, "I'm playing God. I'm acting like God. I'm thinking it all depends on me." God is our heavenly Father and we trust Him. "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?" Matthew 6:30, NIV. How much value do we have? Look at the cross. We are not junk, we are not worthless. We are valuable to God because He wants us to be His child. He made a way for us to be His child. We often misunderstand the goodness of God, and how much He cares for us.
Lastly, worry is unbelief. Worry is doubting God. "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19, NIV. "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Matthew 6:32, NIV. "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34, NIV. There are two days of the week should never worry about, yesterday and tomorrow. Don't worry about the future until we successfully learn to manage today. The starting point is a humble attitude, "God is God and I'm not…" When we understand that, even in the midst of a crisis, all of a sudden, the worry begins to fade.
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Mark Riley of Flemington First Church of Christ.