Worry
Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked,
"What are you going to do?"
"I’m going to take 100 people," Death replied.
"That’s horrible!" the man said.
"That’s the way it is," Death said. "That’s what I do."
The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan.
As evening fell, he met Death again.
"You told me you were going to take 100 people," the man said. "Why did 1,000 die?"
"I kept my word," Death responded. "I only took 100 people. Worry took the others."
Half of the people in America’s hospital beds are constant worriers.
• 43% of all adults suffer health effects due to worry and stress.
• 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related complaints or disorders.
• Worry has been linked to all the leading causes of death
• including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis and suicide.
An estimated 1 million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress related complaints.
• Stress is said to be responsible for more than half of the 550 million workdays lost annually
• 43% of all employee turnovers are related to job stress.
• Mental distress can even lead to death.
• And This doesn’t count the restless nights and days without sleep.
Someone once said “Worrying is like being in a rocking chair;
• it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.”
So Why do we worry so much?
• When was the last time you saw a squirrel running around saying I don’t have enough nuts?
• The devil loves to get a hold of us and make us worry.
• He loves to stress us out;
• Because when we stress out
• We take our worries out on those that are closest to us.
Selling the house, FHA, fixing the electrical, handrails, septic system failing.
Thru all this we lost sight that we had prayed and told God what we needed to get out of the house, and He gave it to us.
We got so worried over the small stuff we at times lost sight of the big picture
God had a plan and we worried over nothing.
That happens in life a lot, we worry over what He already has taken care of.
People in the bible worried
EX. 16:1-4a
Ex 16:1 Then they left Elim and journeyed into the Sin Desert, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there a month after leaving Egypt.
Ex 16:2 There, too, the whole community of Israel spoke bitterly against Moses and Aaron.
Ex 16:3 “Oh, that we were back in Egypt,” they moaned. “It would have been better if the LORD had killed us there! At least there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought us into this desert to starve us to death.”
Ex 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. The people can go out each day and pick up as much food as they need for that day.
• They complained about being hungry.
• They didn’t care or pay attention to the fact that God had rescued them from a life of slavery.
• They would rather be slaves than to be free and hungry.
• They didn’t trust God that his plan was complete.
• If God had caused the plagues, parted the sea and brought them out of Egypt.
• You would think that the people would have trusted Him enough to feed them.
But it doesn’t stop here EX 16:11-15
Ex 16:11 And the LORD said to Moses,
Ex 16:12 “I have heard the people’s complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’”
Ex 16:13 That evening vast numbers of quail arrived and covered the camp. The next morning the desert all around the camp was wet with dew.
Ex 16:14 When the dew disappeared later in the morning, thin flakes, white like frost, covered the ground.
Ex 16:15 The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked.
And Moses told them, “It is the food the LORD has given you.
It was all part of His plan.
People worry over what they don’t need to.
Vs. 19-20
Ex 16:19 Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it overnight.”
Ex 16:20 But, of course, some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning.
For several years a woman had been having trouble getting to sleep at night because she feared burglars. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he did find a burglar. “Good evening,” said the man of the house. “I am glad to see you. Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”
You would think that after we come to the realization
• that we are being taken care of by God
• that we would stop worrying and give it over to Him,
• but so often we don’t.
Kids at night asking for a glass of water.
• You would swear by the way they asked that they had gone days without it.
• But the Israelites were the same way.
• God, as we saw in the text
• Had just fed them, now they were thirsty, (we want a drink)
Ex 17: 1-6
Ex 17:1 At the Lord’s command, the people of Israel left the Sin Desert and moved from place to place. Eventually they came to Rephidim, but there was no water to be found there.
Ex 17:2 So once more the people grumbled and complained to Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.
“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you arguing with me? And why are you testing the LORD?”
Ex 17:3 But tormented by thirst, they continued to complain, “Why did you ever take us out of Egypt? Why did you bring us here? We, our children, and our livestock will all die!”
Ex 17:4 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD, “What should I do with these people? They are about to stone me!”
Ex 17:5 The LORD said to Moses, “Take your shepherd’s staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile. Then call some of the leaders of Israel and walk on ahead of the people.
Ex 17:6 I will meet you by the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come pouring out. Then the people will be able to drink.” Moses did just as he was told; and as the leaders looked on, water gushed out.
God had just provided them food
• He had just demonstrated how He was going to take care of them
• But how soon they forget
• Again Why did you bring us up out of Egypt
• So, our children, and our livestock will all die!”
• They have forgotten already what God had done for them
• and now they think they’re going to die.
But once again God had a plan.
The sad part is that this behavior continued on all thru the 40 years in the desert.
• The people were always worrying over something,
• what we need to see today is that
• Today, just like in the days of the Exodust
• God has a plan.
While touring Italy, a man visited a cathedral that had been completed on the outside only. Once inside, the man found an artist kneeling before an enormous wall where he had just begun to create a mosaic.
On some tables nearby were thousands of pieces of colored ceramic. Curious, the visitor asked the artist how he would ever finish such a large project.
The artist answered that he knew how much he could accomplish in one day.
Each morning, he marked off an area to be completed that day and didn’t worry about what remained outside that space.
That was the best he could do; and if he faithfully did his best, one day the mosaic would be finished.
Jesus tells us Do Not Worry Mt.6:25-34
Mt 6:25 “So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing?
Mt 6:26 Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.
Mt 6:27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.
Mt 6:28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,
Mt 6:29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
Mt 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!
Mt 6:31 “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing.
Mt 6:32 Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs,
Mt 6:33 and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Mt 6:34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
God has given us life and a body,
• And both of these are more important than food and clothing.
• So with this being said
• If He gave us life, why wouldn’t He take care of us? (our kids, school clothes)
To worry about food and drink
• is to have learned nothing from the natural creation,
• God’s provides for them why would he not provide for us. (He are more important to Him than they are)
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
• As I started with today there are so many health problems
• related to worrying that you will cut short your life instead of prolong it.
• Ultimately such matters are in God’s hands.
• To trust him should be enough.
God knows what we need
• We need to live our lives different from people
• who have no trust in God’s care
• People with no fundamental goals beyond material things.
We have to Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
• and all these things will be given to you as well.
• To seek God’s "righteousness" is not, in to seek justification.
• It is to pursue the righteousness of life,
• To fully summit to the will of God.
As Jesus’ disciples we are not simply to refrain from pursuing temporary things
But to pursuit goals of far greater significance.
To "seek first [God’s] kingdom” is to desire above all to enter into, submit to, and participate in spreading the news of the saving reign of God.
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
To worry over tomorrow’s misfortunes is nonsense, because today has enough to occupy our attention and because tomorrow’s feared misfortunes may never happen.
Furthermore, today’s grace is sufficient only for today and should not be wasted on tomorrow.
If tomorrow does bring new troubles, there will be new grace to meet it.
1Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Mary C. Crowley once said, Every evening I turn worries over to God. He’s going to be up all night anyway.
God has a plan for the world and a plan for our individual lives, and He is carefully working it out. He is in control — so we don’t have to be.
Psalm 34:17-19
Ps 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
Ps 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Ps 34:19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
As Christians, we can find comfort in knowing that things do not happen by accident, they happen on purpose.
Nothing catches God off-guard.
Nothing surprises him.
He is carefully, and with great skill, weaving all the events of life together into his eternal plan.
All we have to do is give Him our cares and concerns and He will take care of us.
We need to release the regrets of yesterday,
Refuse the fears of tomorrow and receive instead, the peace of today.
It’s that simple let go and let God.
