Series: There’s an App for That
“Worry”
Matthew 6:25-34
Open
A man went to see a psychologist because he was anxious and stressed out all of the time. At the end of their first session, the psychologist gave the man some instructions for the time leading up to the next session.
The psychologist said, “I want you to play a round of golf.” The man replied, “Doc, I’ve tried to play golf and I always end up more stressed out when I’m done with a round that I was when I started.”
The psychologist said, “I want you to play a different way this time. Take your clubs, walk the course, but only play with an imaginary ball.” The man thought it was kind of weird but he decided he would follow his counselor’s instructions.
He went to the golf course and set up at the first tee. Making sure no one was looking, he teed up his imaginary ball, swung the club and what do you know – a 285 yard drive right down the middle of the fairway. His second shot lands on the green and he two putts for par. The second hole produces the same result.
As he steps onto the tee at third hole, a man who has been watching asks, “What are you doing?” The first man tells him about the visit to the psychologist and the second man asks, “Do you mind if I join you?” The first man says. “Sure.”
They go back to the first hole and start from the beginning. They’re having a great time until the middle of the fairway on the 18th hole. The score is tied. The first man steps up, swings his club, and says, “Would you look at that? The ball is on the green and rolling toward the cup and – it’s in!”
The second man is shaking his head and says, “That’s nice but you hit my ball.”
We all struggle with worry. It seems than any humanly devised plan only seems to cause us more worry. Jesus had some things to say about this subject. Let’s talk about what He said.
Take out your Bibles and turn to Matt. 6:25-34 – “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? 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.”
Reasons Not to Worry
There are many reasons why we shouldn’t worry. I want to look at what I believe are the most compelling reasons not to worry.
The first reason is because it’s dangerous to our health. Doctors report that 43% of all adults suffer ill effects to their health because of worry and stress. 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related complaints or disorders. Worry has been linked to all of the leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, and suicide. Someone once said that ulcers are not caused by what you eat but by what is eating you.
The second reason we shouldn’t worry is because it minimizes our effectiveness. I read this week about a man who moved to the country to get away from the stress of the city. His new neighbor had some chickens. The rooster was a problem. It disturbed the man’s sleep with it’s loud crowing. When he complained to his neighbor, the man next door said, “It’s not that big of a deal. He only crows at first light.” The man said, “That may be but if you only knew how I suffer waiting for him to crow.”
Oftentimes, we anticipate the negative so much that it destroys our peace and minimizes our effectiveness in the present. Someone said, “If you’re tempted to worry remember that a raisin was once a happy grape.” Worry tends to shrivel us up and make us ineffective. A survey of students in 21 U.S. colleges indicated that worriers get the lowest grades. Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”
The third reason we shouldn’t worry is that it can be a sin. Worry can take over our lives. When we obsess with our worries, we are telling God that we don’t trust Him. God says that He will take care of all of our needs. Ps. 55:22 – Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. One commentator said, “Worry is a form of atheism, for it demonstrates a lack of faith and trust.”
It can also lead us into sin. 1 Pet. 5:6-8 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Our worries can lead us astray. They can give the devil an opportunity to get a foothold in our lives.
I think it would be prudent to spend some times defining the kind of worry that Jesus warns about here. It’s the kind of worry that makes you ill – physically and emotionally. It can paralyze you. It can cause an intense amount of fear and anxiety.
Chuck Swindoll has an excellent description of this kind of worry. He styles it as “anything that drains your tank of joy – something you cannot change, something you are not responsible for, something you are unable to control, something that frightens and torments you, keeps you awake when you should be asleep.”
Our word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means to choke or strangle. Jesus is warning us about the kind of worry that chokes the life out of us. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells about the seed that fell among thorns and choked the plants to death.
When asked to explain the parable, Jesus explains the portion about the thorns this way. Matt. 13:22 – “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
What Jesus doesn’t warn us about in this passage on worry is what I might term “concerns.”
It’s okay to be concerned about your cholesterol and then take some needed steps to reduce it such as watching your diet and exercising. It’s okay to be concerned about your child who is misbehaving and then take prudent action and administer discipline. It’s okay to buy insurance or save for college.
There is a big difference between concern and worry. Concern focuses on probable events and takes action. Worry focuses on improbable events and doesn’t do anything productive.
The fourth reason why we shouldn’t worry is because it accomplishes nothing. Jesus says that it is a waste of our time. We can’t change a thing by worrying. In fact, Jesus point blank in Matt. 6:27 – “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” He says that worry is futile. It’s pointless. It’s fruitless. We know from medical research that worry doesn’t increase our enjoyment of life.
Charlie Cullen suggested that if you’re going to worry, you should at least do it scientifically. He posited two important steps in this process.
First, he said to write down all of your worries. Transfer the anxiety from your mind to a piece of paper.
Second, schedule a definite time every week as your worry hour. He suggested that perhaps 4:00 p.m. on a Thursday would be a good time to worry. When that scheduled time comes, sit down and start worrying to the best of your ability.
He said that if someone asks you what you are doing, just explain to them: :I’m going down my list of worries. I’m on number four right now. He also gave a warning. He said, “Be sure to take your list with you because you’re going to look awful silly sitting there trying to remember what it was that you were supposed to be worrying about.”
Worries That Can Drive Us Crazy
In his book Now for Something Totally Different, Stuart Briscoe lists five things Jesus tells us not to get overly concerned about. First, Jesus says don’t worry about finances. Matt. 6:19 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”
In other words Jesus is saying not to be overly concerned about your earthly possessions.
The third most common fear among Americans is the fear of financial failure. What if I can’t pay off my credit cards? What if the car breaks down? What if my investments collapse? What if I lose my job? Those can be legitimate concerns but they can also be obsessive fears that cripple us.
Second, Jesus says don’t worry about food. In the first century, this could have been a major worry for the people that Jesus addressed. Because of the Roman oppression, starvation wasn’t uncommon in Palestine at that time.
I think it’s really sad that in our land of plenty, we have people who suffer from a lack of food. One of the most common requests that we get for help here at Central Park is for food for the household.
Some of us who have plenty to eat still worry about our food. We’re worried about too much fat and cholesterol. Too many carbohydrates and too much sugar. Too many calories and too much junk food. The point I’m trying to make is that whether we have little to eat or plenty to eat, we still worry about food,
Third, Jesus says don’t worry about fitness. Jesus said don’t worry about your body. Americans are obsessed with body image. The top selling videos in America are exercise videos. We join fitness centers and then don’t go to them. We buy exercise equipment and then it just takes up space in our bedrooms, basements, or garages.
Now get me wrong. Jesus isn’t saying don’t eat right or don’t exercise. In fact, some of us need to pay more attention to our diets and times for exercise. I’m with ya! What Jesus is saying is to not exalt the flesh over the spirit.
Fourth, Jesus says don’t worry about fashion. Jesus says we’re not to worry about what we’re going to wear. Like food, having clothes to wear was a concern for many who lived in Palestine during the first century. Many of the people of that day would only have one garment.
But here in the United States, we have an abundance of clothes. But we still worry about what we’re going to wear. Is it the right style? Is it the right brand? Do my clothes match? Does this outfit make me look fat? And on and on we go. Jesus said that we shouldn’t get hung up on those things.
Fifth, Jesus says don’t worry about the future. We try to look ahead but we can’t see what’s in the future. It’s one of the reasons our society spends millions of dollars every year on seeking out the people who claim that they can see what’s ahead.
We’re worried about getting older. We worry about crow’s feet and wrinkles and more gray hair or even not having any hair. And so we get cosmetic surgery and use Rogaine and other kinds of medical interventions to at least give the appearance that we’re not gaining as fast as we actually are. Paul Harvey told about a fellow who put braces on his false teeth so he’s look younger. The funny thing is that the more stressed out we get about aging, the faster our bodies decline.
Overcoming Worry
What’s the answer? Jesus gives us some practical ways to overcome worry. We should listen closely and do what He says..
First Jesus says that if you want to effectively win over worry, you have to develop an eternal perspective. Matt. 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Jesus tells us that the reason that we obsessively worry is because we are worldly-minded. We’re more concerned about the things of this world than we are with the things of God. When we change our perspective, the things of this world don’t seem so overwhelming. The old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Why get so entangled and worked up with the things of this earth when they’re not going to last? Matt. 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Are you familiar with the saying: “Don’t sweat the small stuff?” When compared to the things of eternity, everything else is just small stuff.
The second thing Jesus says to do when struggling with obsessive worry is to live one day at a time. Matt. 6:34 – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Notice here that Jesus doesn’t say, “When you follow me, everything will be wonderful.” We live in a fallen world. The ravages of sin effect the environment around us. There’ll still be destructive storms. There’ll still be diseases like cancer. You can still lose your job. People will disappoint you and even be disrespectful to you – even your children.
But worrying about tomorrow only takes away from the energy that you need to live today. Don’t waste your time and vitality fretting about tomorrow when you’ve got enough stuff to handle right now.
Here’s the reality. A lot of stuff that you’re most likely will never happen. I read about a lady who was terrified that she would get cancer. She talked about it all the time. When she wasn’t feeling well, she would say, “I think its cancer.” But she passed away in her from a heart attack. She spent her entire life worried about the wrong disease.
Montaigne, the philosopher, said, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune, most of which has never happened.” Since you don’t know what will happen tomorrow, quit worrying about it and live for today.
The last thing to combat obsessive worry is to trust in the providence of God. Matt. 6:32 – “For the pagans [unbelievers] run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
God knows what you need. He will provide. Trust in him. Paul puts it this way in Phil. 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Live by that promise. God will provide.
I like the illustration about the birds that Jesus uses in Matt. 6:26 – “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?”
Have you ever seen a bird worry? Birds somehow always seem to be fed. I read somewhere that a bird eats two or three times its weight in food every day. So much for the phrase – “she eats like a bird.”
Could you imagine having to find that much food for yourself and your family in a day? That would wipe out the local County Market. Birds have to find a lot of food but somehow God provides for them. And somehow, God will provide for you.
Said the robin to the sparrow, “I’d really like to know why those anxious humans rush about and worry so.” Said the sparrow to the robin, “I think that it must be that they have no heavenly Father such as cares for you and me.”
Close
We serve a God who spoke the universe into existence. He showed his love for us on the cross of Calvary. He proved his power of sin and death when he rose from the grave. Don’t you think he can handle your worries?
While walking the rural roads in India, you’ll come across a post that has a sturdy shelf. The natives call the post Soma Tonga. It means “a resting place.” When people are walking with a heavy load, they place it on the shelf for relief. Once they’re rested, they continue their journey. Christians in India call Jesus, “My Soma Tonga.”
Matt. 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
