I read a funny joke about 2 blondes. I know how you guys wait all week long for one of my cheesy jokes. Well, there were two blonds travelling in an airplane from LA to New York. About an hour into the flight, the pilot announced that they had lost an engine, but NOT TO WORRY, there are three left.
However, instead of 5 hours it would take 7 hours to get to New York. A little later, he announced that a second engine failed, and they still had two left, but it would take 10 hours to get to New York.
Somewhat later, the pilot again came on the intercom and announced that a third engine had died. No worries! He announced, because the plane could fly on a single engine.
However, it would now take 18 hours to get to new York. At this point, one blonde turned to the other and said, "Gee, I’m sooooo worried, I hope we don't lose that last engine, or we'll be up here forever!"
I don’t know about you, but for me, I’ve spent way to much of my life worrying! Worrying about stuff that never happened. I’ve worried about what people think, what people have said, what I’ve said, job interviews, deadlines, budgets, bills and expenses, rising gas prices, war and even the end of the world! I won’t go into detail, but lets just say I was extremely prepared for Y2K! I had more Tuna than Costco! I had more ammunition that Iraq! If my unprepared neighbor would have come after my tuna – I was prepared to smoke that sucker!
I’ve wasted my time worrying about all kinds of stuff! First impressions, political correctness, identity theft, contagious infections…all kinds of stuff. But guess what…I’m still alive and well - and my bills are paid.
I also have plenty of food – probably because 13 years later – I’m still eating tuna!
Worry is crazy.
Worry kidnaps your brain from normal thinking. Worry hijacks your mind.
Worry Comes From an Old English Word Meaning To STRANGLE or to CHOKE.
If you’re taking notes – write that down in your outline. Worry means to strangle.
It strangles your thoughts and consumes your mind…it smothers your mind with anxiety, panic, doom, and stress. You know exactly what I’m talking about.
What are you worried about today? What’s strangling you today? Worry strangles the peace and purpose right out of our lives.
You only live once – don’t worry yourself to death.
3 REASONS I SHOULDN’T WORRY:
1. IT’S NOT GOOD FOR YOU. (DUH!)
The Bible says in Proverbs 12:25:
“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” Proverbs 12:25 NIV
Worrying is not good for you. It doesn’t get any more practical than this. Why shouldn’t I worry? It’s bad for me. When you worry – it affects you.
Worry Affects You in 4 Ways:
a) Mentally. When you worry, you’re mind doesn’t mind. You’re mind isn’t in the right place. Worry can make you anxious. Put fear in your mind. Worry can paralyze you. Literally, worrying can stop you in your tracks.
My grandmother is in her 80s. I love her very much. I am extremely close to my grandmother. She hasn’t driven a car since she was in her 30s. Why? Because she was in a car wreck and it scared her so bad…she stopped driving…worry of getting in another car wreck has literally prevented her from driving ever again. Grandpa drives.
Worry also affects you:
b) Emotionally
Emotionally...you get down. You get discouraged. Your mood radically changes and hijacks who you really are. All because you’re worried. Your emotions are outta whack and all over the place just because of worrying about something. Chronic worry can cause depression!
Check this out! Did you know that anti-depressant prescriptions account for $11 billion in annual revenues to pharmaceutical companies. Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications rank 5th of all drugs prescribed in the US.
Worry can also affect you:
c) Spiritually - God wants us to be spiritually healthy. To be whole. I didn’t put this in your outline - but 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God doesn’t not give you the spirit of fear – but of love, power and a sound mound. A sound mind.
(d) Physically - Worrying can make you physically sick. Give you ulcers…even kill you. They say worry is the silent killer. Worrying isn’t good for you. Worrying messes up your eating….messes up your sleeping…job performance…your focus and attention.
Worry can cause back pain, chest pain, fatigue, tiredness, shortness of breath, weight gain, weight loss! Some of you..when you stress…you eat! Some of you stress and don’t eat! Worry affects our eating. All kinds of physical problems!
So the first reason you shouldn’t worry is because it’s not good for you.
2. IT DOESN’T HELP YOU.
In Matthew 6:27-29, Jesus said these words:
“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.” Matthew 6:27-29 NLT
Read this entire passage in the NIV:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Worry doesn’t help you. Worry never accomplishes anything.
Jesus said, “Don’t worry about tomorrow? Don’t worry about your job…your future…your clothes. Change your focus. Get yoru mind off yourself…Focus on Jesus.
Worry is seeing through blurred, unfocused lenses. Focus those lenses. Zoom in on Jesus.
Worry: It’s Distracting. As a said, worry hijacks, kidnaps or steals your mind from thinking about what it should be thinking about. Think about how much more time you’d have to do other things if you never worried.
It’s like the story I heard about a CEO who was always worried. He was talking to his colleague and he said, “Guess what!? I have fixed my worries! I don’t worry anymore! His buddy said, “Oh yeah, “How’d you do that?” The CEO said, “I hired a professional worrier…I write down all my worries – and he worries for me!” His colleague said, “Wow – how much does that cost?” $250,000 Gs a year! His buddy said, “That’s Crazy! And how on earth are you gonna pay for that?” The CEO said, I have no idea – that’s for him to worry about!”
Wouldn’t that be awesome!? Have someone else worry for you?! Worry doesn’t help you…it’s distracting.
Worry is also:
It’s Consuming. I mentioned this. It smothers your mind. You could be doing a million other things instead of worrying.
It’s Paralyzing.
Worry isn’t good for you, worry doesn’t help you the 3rd reason I shouldn’t worry is because:
3. GOD’S GOT YOU.
God got you! GOD. The creator of the universe. The One who hung stars in mid-air. The One who stuck a ball of plasma fire in the sky called the sun that never burns up. (side note – do you know how BIG the sun is? You could fit 109 earths across the face of the sun) – yes, That God…who created THAT – HE’S GOT YOU! The God who created earth, animals, life..the moon and it’s gravity that affects our ocean tides.. THAT GOD…he’s GOT YOU.
God’s Got you. Listen, your situation is no surprise to God. Whatever it is your worrying about…it didn’t catch God off guard or take him by surprise. God’s Got You!
In life - You can never go down a road where God isn’t with you.
In my house, we have a picture that hangs in the hallway as we exit into the garage. It reads: The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. I look at that picture all the time. There are days when I really needed to see that. Days when it’s a great reminder for me. The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.
You can never go down a road where God isn’t with you. God’s got you!
Read this verse out loud with me!
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
Awesome verses! Cast your cares…your problems…your worries…onto the LORD…If you’re weary and burdened – He will give you rest. His yoke is easy…His burden is light.
Listen, some of you are trying to carry things in life that you’re not designed to carry. Give it to God.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6,7 (NIV)
Instead of worry – pray. Instead of worry – worship. Instead of worry – read the Bible.
