Freedom From The Burden Of Worry Series

In 1988, Bobby McFerrin released a song entitled “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” It was inspired by the teachings of an Indian Guru who used to tell his followers “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

McFerrin’s song was quickly written and recorded. It was released as an Adult Contemporary song where it made it to #1 for 7 weeks and even displaced Guns n Roses hit song “Sweet Child of Mine” for a week on the Hot 100 charts.

The song’s singable tune and memorable whistling has a way of worming it’s way into our minds and staying there. In fact, if you know the song, even mentioning it has probably started a soundtrack in your brain.

But is the song’s message a worthwhile solution for worry? Is that all we have to do - choose to be happy? What is worry after all?

According to Walter Elwell, worry or anxiety “anticipates possible dangers in the future and helplessly dwells on how to reduce them.” It’s possible for us to be anxious or worry about a great many things - some things are good and others may not be so good.

Maybe we’re anxious about finances - whether

short term like figuring out how to pay a bill or make sure there is enough to cover our needs, or

long term - anxious about retirement and the volatility of the market.

Maybe we’re anxious about our families - whether our kids will be able to grow in to godly, productive, adults or for our parents - how will we care for them and their changing needs in their later years.

Maybe we’re anxious about things beyond our control - the state of our nation, conflicts around the world, the price of food, the stock market, how tarrifs will affect prices…

We could go on and on - there is a lot in this world about which we can worry. I guess the question is - is simply being happy the solution?

I think to this, Jesus would answer - “no”

Fear and anxiety to hand in hand. As we discussed briefly last week, there are some very real fears that we face. Jesus urged to have a healthy perspective on fear. Rather than fearing other people - who can only do things to us in this life, we should fear God, who will ultimately judge us for eternity. And yet, even in this, we should not fear because of the depth of His love for us.

So, we should not fear others.

This week, as we look at the next section of scripture, we basically get to learn that we should not fear scarcity - or the loss of material things. Essentially, we should not worry about those things.

Look in your Bibles at Luke 12. While Jesus was in the midst of a crowd teaching them to not fear others, a man in the crowd speaks up with an unusual request:

Luke 12:13–34 ESV

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.