Let Go Of Worry Series

Let Go of Worry

Introduction:

On the slope of Longs Peak in Colorado lie the ruins of a huge tree. Naturalists say that it stood for over 400 years. It had weathered thousands of storms and had been hit with lighting 14 times. At the end, an army of beetles attacked the tree and leveled it to the ground. This tremendous giant, that age had not withered, that lightning had not blasted, that storms had not subdued fell at last before beetles so small that a man could crush them between his forefinger and thumb.

Perhaps sometimes we expect the “big things” to be the fall of us spiritually. We speak often and warn about the immorality issues, but I wonder if some Christians are not being torn apart and devoured by a vast array of “little things” which will level us to the ground and wither us spiritually. Perhaps one of those “little things” which many times eats away at Christian people is worry. Perhaps worry is one of those things that we never preach on because we all do it, kind of like…gluttony.

When you are a young child you only worry about when you will get play time and what toys you will play with. When you get a little older you worry about school and friends. When you get to your teenage years you begin you worry about dating and relationships, and come teenagers even worry about school. Then you worry some more about school and perhaps what you will do after high school. Then throughout college years you worry about what you are going to do with your life, which is why college kids change their major every other week. Then the real worrying just begins. Does anyone worry about paying bills or making ends meet sometimes? Do you ever worry about your future, perhaps plans that are in the making? Does anyone ever worry about their health or even their own death? Does anyone ever worry about their work or maybe your retirement? Do any of you ever worry about different relationships you are involved in? Any of you parents ever worry about your children?

Top 10 Reasons Why People Worry results of a national poll in Industry Week Magazine…

1. Own health and fitness - 73%

2. Lack of time for family or leisure pursuits - 49%

3. Their children’s problems - 43%

4. Job related stress - 43%

5. Personal investments - 39%

6. Estate planning - 37%

7. Relationship with children - 34%

8. Aging - 30%

9. Income Level - 22%

10. Their marriages - 21%

Some people seem to have a care in the world, but for the vast majority of people like can at times be chaotic and full of stressful things. There are a lot of things that we can worry about. If we would allow the worries in this life to control us we wouldn’t have time for anything else. The bottom line is that life can be stressful and full of things that we could worry about, but I believe there is a better alternative if you would just let go of your worries. You may be thinking to yourself, “How in the world am I going to let go of these worries? If I let go of these worries, then how will anything ever get accomplished.” Let me suggest to you this morning that we let go of worry.

Comedian Carl Hurley relates the fact that it is almost impossible to throw away a garbage can. You set it out there empty with the other cans full of garbage and it sits there when you return. Worry is a lot like that trash can, we want it to go away, but it keeps hanging around.

Text: Matthew 6:25-34

I. The Reason to Let Go of Worry

a. Worry Indicates A Lack of Trust

When Jesus spoke to the people about worrying about various different things he wanted to prove that God was trustworthy to take care of their problems. He spoke at length how they could trust in God rather than worry. The greatest problem with worry and anxiety is that is a lack of trust in the Lord. When we worry we are essentially spending time wondering how we can fix a problem or what we can do about something, when the reality is we are looking to the wrong place. God promises to take care of the needs that we have. We need to understand that when we worry we are failing to trust in a dependable and a good God for our basic needs. What a bad witness to the world it is when Christian people worry. We should be demonstrating to the world that we trust in God fully and do not need to worry.