Weekend Word: Worry is Dumb.
May 26th, 2009 by Todd JohnsonA SIN IN GOOD STANDING
All of us worry, but not many of us would categorize worry as a really BIG issue. The truth: anxiety in a Christian represents a low view of God & a distrust in His providence & provision. In the end it replaces faith & trust and takes God off of the throne of my life, placing myself there instead. Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew six, stating that worry is the result of “little faith” (6:30). Essentially He said, “You have a Heavenly Father!!! – and He cares.. and He knows.” Therefore worry in a Christian is ALWAYS due ultimately to a lack of faith, or to little faith.
THE PEACE THAT IS THE CURE
What we need is peace.
Paul said.. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)
Jesus promised His own.. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27)
THE PRAYER THAT IS THE PRESCRIPTION
The clear and obvious link between the anxiety of v6 and the peace of v7 is this…
Phil 4:6 ESV “do not be anxious about (anything), but in (everything) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”
God is our Father, and our Father wants us to come to Him bringing our prayers, supplications, requests, and thankfulness. He want us to be with Him and to rely upon Him, and He loves to give peace to those that do so.
Maybe you’ve been worrying way too much and praying way too little. Maybe thankfulness has been lost in a sea of dissatisfaction and complaining.
Let’s get back to God, let’s cultivate an attitude of prayer and supplication with the things that weigh heavily upon us. Let’s get back to trust and peace.
Just finished listening to the sermon… I’ve been cutting way back on my computer time, but wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your teaching, even the parts that hurt. (especially those parts!) It seems that for the past few years my constant refrain before God is “Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness… and forgive me, Lord, for my faithlessness.” God has helped me to see that his greatness and his goodness leave no room for my anxiety… but the road taking that truth from my head to my heart seems to be an awfully long one!!
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks…
Sarah – I’m with you on cutting back on computer time. I’ve done the same. I was convicted when I heard of Bunyan “bleeding Bible” when pricked. I’ve seen the fruit of people that live online and I don’t want to be that guy. I don’t want to bleed “blog” or “vodcast” or even books. I want to bleed Bible.
BUT… I’m honored that my blog here gets a piece of your cutback!!
God bless you!
I’d love to hear from people who right now are facing serious concerns in their life, and how the message on Sunday affected them. For me, I just happen to be in a season right now where my concerns and worries are just not that substantial, so it was easy for me to agree with the message and to check my own tendency to worry. But what about those whose spouses have cancer, or whose children have walked away, or who are about to lose their home – I know it would be a blessing to us all if you would consider posting your honest thoughts on the message.
Todds message was a great reminder to me of how far Gods brought me.At the beginning of last year we almost lost our house when it was happening I was doing all I could to try to hold onto it also worring, anxiety, etc. The funny thing about that time was before when I would have conversations with my friends I would always say “Yeah God has really blessed us but if He sees fit to take it away no big deal” sometimes you say those things to play like your real spiritual but looking back I honestly believed it of myself(not the real spiritual part).Well when the time came and it was going to be taken away I realized that though I thought that’s what I believed my heart had deceived me and my faith and trust wasn’t with the Sovereign creator of the universe but was in me and my stuff. God was really going to do a work here (Heb: 12). God graciously allowed us to whether that storm and we were able to stay in our house that year and he was able to reveal to me my true heart in the matter.
So this year we lost our house and I can look back and see how He graciously worked in me to prepare me for this. Because this time there was peace, no more holding on no more worrying no more anxiety. I’m finally resting in God and though I always new it theologically now I now it experientially. I know that he knows my circumstances better than me and clearly he had other plans for me. So I’m excited to start this new chapter of my life and see what he’s going to do in me and my families life.
Last thing the two main lessons I learned from this (there were many).
Was that my heart can and does deceive me I must check my thoughts, actions, motives with His word and with much prayer.
Also that its just STUFF are home is not hear and this STUFF can kill us spiritually. So when I want to have a pity party I always think of the saying “I thought I had it bad because I had no shoes until I saw someone who had no feet”.
Gods placed me in Aub Ca I have it better than 99% of the world. So no more grumbling for me (Lord willing) stay hard after God and run the race He’s called me to.
That’s my rant.
God Bless
Thanks IHH. Like I said on Sunday, this is fairly easy to preach. Living it is something else. You have been living it.. and sounds like you’re living it well.
There’s good fruit to come.. you watch.. you’ll see.
Good post, thanks. I signed up to your blog RSS.