Forget your Donkeys, God can take Care your Donkeys. Some times we are so worried about the Donkeys we can’t hear or see the Divine hand of God ordering the events of our life.
Read/Tell story Saul being set apart and anointed to lead, yet he had to be told stop worrying about the Donkeys. 1 Samuel 9
ILL “I have a mountain of credit card debt,” one man told another. “I’ve lost my job, my car is being repossessed, and our house is in foreclosure, but I’m not worried about it.” “Not worried about it!” exclaimed his friend.
“No. I’ve hired a professional worrier. He does all my worrying for me, and that way I don’t have to think about it.” “That’s fantastic. How much does your professional worrier charge for his services?” “Fifty thousand pounds a year,” replied the first man. “Fifty thousand pounds a year? Where are you going to get that kind of money?”
“I don’t know,” came the reply. “That’s his worry.”
In fact we do have someone who has asked to carry our worries, someone who will look after your Donkeys; “cast all your worries upon him for he cares for you.” 1Pet 5:7
Jesus could not be clearer on the issue of worry/anxiety; " do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" Matt. 6:34.
The Greek for Anxiety/Worry: merimna from merizo means to divide or draw different directions -From its origin, one can see that merimna describes the state of "being pulled apart.”
Worry is an enemy of the Word of God in our lives; Jesus said; “worry chokes the seed of the Word of God sown in us.” Matt 13:22.
Worry weights us down with self obsession causing us miss the signs of Jesus’ return
Jesus said; “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with …… the worries of life, Luke 21:34
As Solomon puts it; “An anxious heart weighs a man down” Proverbs 12:25
I want today to provide you with practical and spiritual tools to Jesus words; “Do Not Worry”
Practical Actions to Not Worrying;
SLEEP - Humans generally need 8 or 9 hours of sleep per day. Sleep deprivation can increase anxiety. Get enough rest. If you cannot sleep, you may need to seek God’s help and perhaps that of a physician.
BE MORE REALISTIC - Many people are worried and anxious about events that will never actually will happen to them. Relax. Focus on today. Take life one day at a time.
LISTEN to relaxing, soothing music. It may also help to listen to good Christian speakers and teachers.
FUN - If at all possible, do something that you enjoy. Get your mind off your fears and worries, and have some fun.
TALK to someone. Don’t hold all the anxiety inside. It can be a big relief to share your fears and worries with someone else—a friend, relative, pastor or counsellor.
TAKE ACTION - If there is something practical and wise that you can do to alleviate the problem or avoid needless danger, take action. Don’t put it off. Procrastination will generally raise your anxiety level.
EXERCISE - Medical studies show that exercise can help lower anxiety. If you are healthy enough to exercise, try it. Regular brisk walks, running, swimming or other exercises can be a real stress reducer.
To relay on practical actions alone, robs us and deny the power of the God in our lives to be over-comers of the Donkeys that cause us so much worry.
Spiritual Actions to Winning over Worry
1. Add up your Joys, never count your sorrows. Look at what you have left in life not what you have lost. Focus on what God has done and not on what he hasn’t done or what you think he should do. See Philippians 3:12-14, Isaiah 43:17-19.
2. Live in the present. One day at a time. Most people worry about what Jesus told us not to worry about “Tomorrow” and the day after and the day after. Some people are so good at worrying they even worry about their children’s future.
Jesus said “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 James reminds us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring, see James 4:13-15. Only God knows the end from the beginning, only God know all about your tomorrow and I know this because the Bible tells me so, God has good, fantastic and wonderful plans for all our tomorrows. See Psalm 33:11, Proverbs 16:3, 9, 19:21, Jeremiah 29:10-12
ILL An average persons anxiety is focused on : 40% of things that will never happen 30% of things about the past that can’t be changed 12% of things about criticism by others, mostly untrue 10% of about health, which gets worse with stress 8% of about real problems that will be faced
Stop living today controlled by the fear of “what ifs” and let God fill you with faith that says to your heart God can take care of it. Remember Paul’s advice; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7. Take your worries to God.
3. Avoid Avoidance and fight the worry with the Word. The more you try not to think or talk about your worries, the more you think on them. Jesus said; “be on guard……” Luke 21:34. We must watch out for our worries and resist them with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word God. Worry aims to take control of our thinking, and choke the seed of the Word of God that brings faith to our lives.
Worry Says; ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ or What shall I say? Matt 6:31, 10:19 “what if; I don’t get a new job, I can’t pay the bills, I don’t get better, I don’t find a man or woman to marry, What if What if What If and on and on and on and on.
Now the Word says; “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” Psalm 34:4. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” Proverbs 3:5-8. “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:26-28. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13.
4. Expect the Unexpected; the unexpected is not how and when we think God should solve our problems, which worry makes us do. The unexpected is the unexpected and so you are not expecting it. The unexpected is the “Suddenly of Acts”, they are the “jaw dropping events,” they are the “all at once moments,” they are the “who da of thought it instances.”
Acts 1:10 2:2 8:39 9:3 10:30 12:7 12:10 16:26 22:6 28:6 Matthew 7:28 8:27 9:33 13:54 15:31 21:20 22:22
