ARE YOU ON A WORRY HUNT?
(7-minute read)
We can easily spot believers who have a low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity in the unpredictable nature of life. They lace their prayers with details that God should bless. They let their minds run in overdrive ruminating over the worst and best case scenarios hoping to minimize surprises. They blame the devil for everything because problems are always someone else’s fault. Even after praying, they worry about how their problems will be resolved. Underlying all that frenzy is the worry that they will be shortchanged. Overplanning (and over-praying) conceals their fear of losing control over the relationships they care about and the situations they are involved in.
Shonna Innes, author of Big Hugs books for child mental wellness wrote, “Worries are like clouds that float in and take the shine out of the day.” Since biblical times, people have been beset by worries, although people today are preoccupied with first world problems. Beyond basic education, we want the best education for our children; beyond a secure home, we want a well-designed home that is social media worthy; beyond the sacred vows in a wedding, we want to create ‘wows’ for all invited guests and an epic honeymoon to boot. In fact, today’s hustle culture seems to normalize worrying so that people rarely pause to reflect and connect with God anymore, or with anyone at all.
In addressing people’s concerns about money and treasures, Jesus said, “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? … Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34).
The Lord’s focus was on godly living and health, and not on the appearances of these that people tend to be obsessed with. He asserted that worrying does not add any value to decision-making and our choices.
From these verses, Jesus imparted 3 key lessons for us to live lives that are fruitful for the Kingdom of God:
1 . KNOW WHO IS YOUR PROVIDER
The constant fixation about getting the best deal, the greatest business advantage, the perfect wedding, the dream vacation, the finest school, all come from a spirit of poverty. There is a fine line between diligent planning and planning that is driven by a poverty mentality.
Jesus was reminding His followers about who His Heavenly Father is – that the God who gave mankind the mandate to be fruitful and multiply is the Provider and Creator of all resources Himself. When the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, they did not have technology-enhanced footwear or weather-proof attires but neither their sandals nor clothes wore out. (Deuteronomy 29:5)
God’s top priority is always to provide us what we need. But our desires and dreams are often influenced by society and the media more than they are birthed from our relationship with God. So it is important to know who our Provider is. To be sure, God is not our vendor or broker. He knows us better than we know ourselves, so when we spend time with Him and let Him know our needs, we will know ourselves better. If we know the heart of our Heavenly Father, we know we can trust Him with all the details of our lives. In fact, the apostle Paul was so certain about God as His provider that he urged the believers in Philippi, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
We can be sure that the riches of God’s glory exceeds how we normally measure and define goodness.
Jesus’ conversation with Martha offers a good reminder to us about the way we go about getting things done. Luke 10:40-42 gave us this narration, “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”. Instead, Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus rebuked Martha for fussing over the preparatory details of His visit instead of paying attention to His presence during the visit. Restless planning and reactiveness to life is a sign that we are forgetting that Jesus is our all sufficiency (The Bread of Life is our main course).
When God provides a home, trust that He will fill it with His presence if you will pray for those who live in it and worship Him in that place.
When God provides a life partner, trust that He will strengthen your relationship if you let the fear of God lead you to live a godly life.
When God provides a new job, trust that He will grant you favour and courage if you will not run away from the first sign of trouble.
When God provides friendships, trust that He will connect your lives as you initiate and invite people into your life.
In all the above examples, we are not passive net recipients of God’s goodness. We are to perpetuate His values in every aspect of our lived experiences.
2. KNOW WHAT WORRY DOES TO YOU
The Greek Word for ‘worry’ comes from two root words: merizo (which means divide) and nous (which means mind). Habitual worrying messes up our minds and confuses our thoughts. Conversely, to be concerned about something will move us to act and resolve a matter, while worrying only paralyzes us with anxious over-thinking.
Jesus asked His listeners, ‘Can anyone by worrying add a single day to your life?’ Indeed, worrying removes several things from us: worrying takes us away from the present, steals us of joy, rest and peace, and causes us to lose sight of and focus on the One who is our Provider. Habitual worrying can also lead to chronic depression.
If worrying has become our default reaction to situations, we can counteract it by speaking Scripture to subdue the worries in our minds.
From Psalm 55:22, I cast my cares on the Lord and He will sustain me (through this situation/problem); He will never let the righteous be shaken.
From 1 Peter 5:6-7, I will humble myself, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift me up in due time. I will cast all my anxieties on God because He cares for me. (He really does!)
From Philippians 4:6-7, I will not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I choose to present my requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard my hearts and my mind in Christ Jesus.
3. KNOW WHO HOLDS YOUR TOMORROW
This same God who created life in each of us, can be trusted with all the details in every aspect of our lives. Exerting due diligence helps, having connections helps, having the ability to sniff out opportunities helps, but these are not the source of our lives. They can improve our decision-making and mitigate certain risks, but they do not hold our tomorrow. We must not mistake our God-given competency for our confidence in God. Even if God has given us a good plan of action, our confidence must not be invested in the plan (the way God chooses to help us) but in the Provider of the plan.
Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ (James 4:13-15).
God - who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow – He alone holds our tomorrow.
‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11).
It doesn't matter who you are, but worries can worm their way into your life if you do not keep your eyes fixed on our Heavenly Father - our Provider, our All Sufficiency and the One who holds our future in His hands.
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 2 November 2024.
