How To Worry Series

God’s Word says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." (1 Peter 5:7, NLT)

Everyone has something from time to time that tempts them to feel uneasy, something that’s troubling. The official title of these emotions is "worry."

This verse spells out for you what to do with your worry.

1. What you are to do specifically.

"Give all your worries and cares to God."

Before we dissect this directive, consider the prior verse of Scripture.

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you." (1 Peter 5:6, NLT)

Do you see the cause and effect? What do you need to do if you want to be honored by God? You must humble yourself under His power. Humility will produce honor. You must submit to God in humility to find honor.

Do you also want to be free from worry? You are given a plan of action for this problem also. "Give all your worries and cares to God."

You must submit to God once again. This is your part. You can’t circumvent the process and expect the desired results.

Why should you make God your partner in your cares?

Queen Elizabeth I called for a London merchant to go on a mission for her across the sea. He would have to be gone a long time and was concerned as to what would become of his business while he was gone. He was afraid he would go bankrupt.

So the queen promised the merchant that if he would go and take care of her business, that while he was gone she would take care of his.

While he was gone his business flourished. His revenues quadrupled!

That is how partnering with God works.

In Luke 5 Jesus requested Simon Peter’s boat for a pulpit. As a fisherman Peter needed his boat in order to make a living; nonetheless gave into to Christ’s appeal.

When Christ was finished he instructed Peter to cast his nets. There were so many fish in the nets that they almost broke and Peter had to request assistance from others just to take in the catch.

What are you to do specifically?

"Give all your worries and cares to God."

Why? He can do a much better job of handling them, and, in addition, His timing is perfect.

2. What you must do personally.

You must let God be God.

In his book, "A Minister’s Obstacles", Ralph Turnbull tells of a pastor who boasted to his congregation: "I’m not going to take a vacation this year because the devil never does."

Upon hearing this Turnbull asked himself, "Since when is the devil supposed to be our role model?"

Turnbull says that in the space of three years of public ministry Jesus took ten vacations; times when he decided to "rest awhile."

When you try to do it all yourself, without the help of God, you are following the devil’s example!

Let God be God. Give all your worries and cares to Him.

3. Why you may give God your cares with confidence.

"He cares about what happens to you."

If you care about something - God also cares about that same thing! Large or small, there is nothing that matters to you that doesn’t matter to Him!

In his book, "Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life", Chuck Swindoll writes,

"Some time ago someone placed this ad in a Kansas newspaper: ’I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00.’"

"Sounds like a hoax, doesn’t it? But the person was serious. Did anybody call? You bet. It wasn’t long before this individual was receiving ten to twenty calls a day. The pang of loneliness was so sharp that some were willing to try anything for a half hour of companionship."

If you want someone to listen who really cares, call on God.

It’s not just that it is therapeutic to get your worries off your chest. It’s not just that God can do something about your worries - many things that you can’t do yourself.

It is especially comforting to know that God really cares!

Don’t wallow in the lonliness and hurt of thinking no one cares when you can be sharing your worries and cares with God - enjoying the peace and friendship that he offers.

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." (1 Peter 5:7, NLT)