We’re wrapping up our series on Insomniacs: Things that keep you up at night. Last week we looked back and talked about handling regret. Today we’re looking forward to the future, dealing with our anxieties.
What about the future makes us worry? I took an unofficial FB poll this week- what about the future keeps you up at night? A couple of my college buddies decided to give smart aleck responses and answered indigestion from spicy food and acid reflux. Another mentioned waiting on the alarm clock. I wondered about that one, but then I woke up at 4:30 this morning, then 5:15 and 5:30 and 6:00… The next person responded stupid people- I wondered if he was reacting to the first couple of responses.
Then some people started sharing and a few categories seemed to emerge. They were worried about personal things- where will I live, what’s going to happen with my job, dealing with health struggles, trying to overcome the temptation to sin. They were worried about family- how will we spend time together as the kids move away, what kind of legacy will I leave them. They were worried about politics- who’s going to be in charge of the nation and even the world, especially in light of recent developments in Ukraine. They were worried about religion- from the lack of unity and growing divide in the church to whether or not I’ll be ready when Christ returns.
There seems to be a common thread through all these. We like to think we’re in control of our future. Our anxiety tends to kick in when we focus on the things that aren’t fully under our control. We try to create methods of control that may or may not work to convince ourselves that we’re in charge of our destiny.
For example, my dad has a clipboard that he famously uses to prepare for vacation. The first page has a checklist of all the needed supplies that should be in the camper before we leave. The next page has a packing list for each of us to use to make sure we have the appropriate clothing and supplies to enjoy the planned activities. The next pages contain the schedule. We’ve got to be up at 6 to be on the road by 7 to get to the campground in time to set up and enjoy these activities there. Every day is fully spelled out and don’t you dare sneak in and cross something off. In fact, I think each of my sisters tried to hide the clipboard just to see Dad get all worked up over not knowing the plan.
One other answer caught my eye as it reminded me of someone I knew a while back. They wrote that they don’t worry because God tells us that worry is a sin. However, they do have a number of concerns. That’s just like us when it comes to trying to justify sin. We relabel it or explain away why it’s okay in this case. We’re really just looking to hold on to sin rather than turn things over to God.
Jesus addresses this in the sermon on the mount in the text we read earlier. He doesn’t really hold back. I think this is where Bob Newhart learned his counseling method. The client comes in and begins to complain and Newhart simply responds with, “Stop it!”
Read Matthew 6:25 again. Do not be anxious about the things you consume or the clothing you wear. Why does Jesus get after what seems to be something small? Because there’s more to life. We tend to major in the minors and forget that the devil is in the details.
He then gives us a couple examples from nature for assurance. Read Matthew 6:26- look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. They don’t spend long days at work and yet, what does God do for them? He feeds them! Read Matthew 6:28-29- look at the lilies of the field. They don’t have to toil or spin to grow. No trips to the gym, nothing. Yet King Solomon, with all his wealth and finery, in all his glorious array had nothing on them. These things are only temporary, yet God looks after them. How much more important to God is your eternal soul? He knew you before you were even born, He knows the number of hairs on your head, even if that number is declining.
Jesus continues by pointing out the effect on our health when we worry. Read Matthew 6:27. Not only do we not add time to our lives, we actually take time away. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of bad effects to our bodies when we worry- it impacts our bodies, our mood, and our behavior.
With these things in mind, Jesus makes it simple- don’t be anxious. What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? If we’re consumed by these types of questions, our focus is in the wrong place.
I’m reminded of George Mueller, an evangelist who started an orphanage in Bristol, England in the 1800s. He was halfway through Bible college before he became serious about his faith. Until then, he had been caught up in a lot of reckless living. Then one day, he decided to join some friends at an off-campus Bible study. There, he saw people living out their faith in love and committed his life to be a missionary. When he informed his father, he cut him off from receiving tuition. George began praying to God about how he was going to pay for school. Within an hour, someone offered him a job that allowed him to pay his tuition.
With that kind of experience, when it came time to start the orphanage, George felt convicted that he shouldn’t ask anyone for anything nor do any fundraising for the orphanage. He’d simply pray and ask for God to provide. He was able to share story after story of times when God provided in amazing ways. I found one of those stories while doing my research on VeggieTales. One morning, they had no food for the 300 orphans they were serving. George gathered everyone together and they began to pray for God’s provision, then they heard a knock at the door. The local baker explained he’d been awake all night because he felt led by God to provide the orphanage with bread that morning. A couple minutes later, there was another knock at the door. The milkman’s cart had broken outside the orphanage and he was waiting for a repairman. By the time the work would be done, the milk would go bad, so he wanted to give the milk to the orphanage. God had provided in an amazing way.
Time after time, we have seen God answer prayer in amazing ways at this church. Just take a look around and see all the people who have experienced God’s answer to prayer. So why do we let ourselves get all worked up over things? His eye is on the sparrow and I know He’s watching me.
Instead of being anxious, we need to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We need to get our focus right, look at the many things God has done and is doing. We need to pursue Him, run the race, and trust that these other things will be taken care of by God. So how do we replace our anxiety for the future with a focus on the kingdom of God? It shouldn’t be a surprise that the process is similar to dealing with our regret. As we talked about last week, we need to give it to God, leave it with God, and watch for how God uses it. However, I’d like to look at how that looks as we turn our eyes to the future.
First, we need to pray. Read Philippians 4:6-7. Make your requests known to God, express the desires of your heart. We offer prayers together as a church, but we also need to spend individual time in prayer. Pray without ceasing, whether you need an actual prayer closet or simply a space in which it’s your time to focus on talking with God.
These prayers come with supplication. Let God know what you need. I’ll let you in on a little secret- He already knows and is just waiting for you to get on the same page. There are times as a father that I will wait for my child to express their need. It’s not my desire to be a jerk, but to give them room to grow. Sometimes, this results in them falling flat on their face and I need to help them up, dust them off, and encourage them to keep going. God’s like that with us. He knows what we need, but He sits back to let us learn the lesson and grow.
We also need to include thanksgiving as we pray. We need to be mindful of the times God has already answered our prayers. I’m reminded of how some people would come to our church in St. Louis and ask us to pray with them that they find a job. They’d attend a week or two and we’d learn through the grapevine that their prayer had been answered because they vanished for a month or so when they came back to ask us to pray with them to find a job again. We used the opportunity to encourage them to stick around and show God the gratitude He is due.
We cast our cares on Him. Read 1 Peter 5:6-7. There are over 7 billion people on this planet, it’s easy to feel insignificant. But we are God’s children. Even with 7 billion people on this planet, God pays attention to each of us because He cares. This is actually a good principle for evangelism. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
We need to be content in all things. Read Philippians 4:11-13. Paul explains that whether we have a lot or a little, we can be content. This is what he meant by I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. That verse isn’t about doing amazing things, it’s about being content no matter what we’re going through because God gives us strength.
Irving Berlin wrote the song “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” when he was going through some trying times. He struggled with anxiety to the point where he had insomnia. After one particularly difficult night, his doctor came to visit. After listening to Irving’s self-pity, lots of bellyaching, and complaining, the doctor suggested that he count his blessings instead of sheep. Berlin wrote the song and later included it in the movie White Christmas. Bing Crosby sings this song to Rosemary Clooney as they’re up late one night getting a snack in hopes of settling down for the night:
When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
I think about a nurs’ry and I picture curly heads
And one by one i count them
As they slumber in their beds
If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep and you’ll fall asleep
Counting your blessings
Make your plans to follow God. Read James 4:13-15. Jesus was not saying don’t make plans, His point was don’t worry about the plans. James illustrates this as he instructs us to include God in the planning. Set your goals, plan for things to come, but understand they’ll only actually happen if God wills it. If we leave God out, the results are much like the Tower of Babel, where they tried to build a tower to be like God until God mixed up their languages.
Now, allow me to leave you with some assurances for the future. Read Hebrews 13:8. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. From the beginning of time, Jesus was the same. Let US make man in OUR image. To the present, Jesus is the same. Through His incarnation leading to His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus hasn’t changed. To the end of time, Jesus will be the same and He will return to gather those who are His.
Read Hebrews 13:5b. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is quoting Deuteronomy 31:6 where God is preparing Israel for Joshua to become the next leader. Think about it, you are never alone. Wherever you go, Christ is with you. How should that thought affect the way we act in whatever situation we may find ourselves in?
Finally, I’ve read the end of the book- we win! Read Revelation 22:20. No matter what may have us worried, even if we feel like we are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, we can rest assured that we have the victory. There may be some battles to endure but know that the victory is ours.
You have a decision to make. When Christ returns, that may be years from now, it may be tomorrow, it could be as we walk out the doors of the church building, which side will you be on? Will you be on team Jesus and ready to join Him for eternity or will you choose to oppose Christ and receive condemnation. If you haven’t chosen Jesus yet, you’re choosing condemnation. We want to give you the opportunity now. Invitation
