Today, we embark on a journey that I believe will speak to every single one of us.
It’s a series on worry.
Today we start by unwrapping what worry is with the title - “The Burden of Worry.”
Worry is something we all experience.
It’s that
• heavy weight that sits on our chest,
• the nagging voice in the back of our minds,
• the endless “what ifs” that keep us up at night.
Worry can feel like a constant companion, especially in a world that seems so uncertain.
But here’s the truth:
Worry is not just a feeling—it’s a burden.
And it’s a burden we were never meant to carry.
Here’s an example of the type of thing that happens:
Sarah, a young marketing professional, wanted to advance in her career.
When she landed an interview for her dream job, excitement quickly turned to worry.
As she prepared herself for the interview, she obsessed over worst-case scenarios —
• freezing up,
• saying something foolish, or
• making a bad impression.
The night before, she barely slept, and by morning, she was exhausted with anxiety.
Sitting in the waiting room, her heart pounded — until the interviewer smiled and said, “Relax, Sarah.
This is just a conversation.”
The simple reassurance calmed her.
She took a deep breath,
reminded herself to be authentic,
and the interview went far better than she expected
A few days later, she got the job.
Reflecting on the experience, Sarah realized all her worrying had been pointless (even counter productive)
None of her fears came true.
She had spent so much energy stressing over the unknown instead of trusting God.
From then on, she leaned on Philippians 4:6-7 (you know those verses), learning to replace worry with prayer and faith.
Sarah’s story reminds us that worry often magnifies problems that never come to pass — and that trusting God brings the peace we truly need.
So, what is worry?
Worry is the act of allowing our minds to dwell on difficulties, troubles, or uncertainties.
It’s
• the fear of the unknown,
• the fear of failure,
• the fear of loss.
It’s the attempt to control the uncontrollable.
And while it’s natural to feel concerned about life’s challenges, worry becomes a problem when it consumes us.
Corrie ten Boom
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”
Billy Graham “Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centred on anything short of God and His will for us.” —
Erma Bombeck “Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” —
The Bible speaks directly to this issue.
In Matthew 6:25-27 that we read earlier, Jesus gives a DIRECT INSTRUCTION when he says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.
………. Are not much more valuable than they (the birds)? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Answer, “No, but you can take a day off your life by worrying”
Jesus makes it clear:
Worry is not only unnecessary, it’s unproductive.
• It doesn’t change our circumstances.
• It doesn’t solve our problems.
• In fact, it often makes things worse.
Worry (as I said in our last series) can
• rob us of joy,
• steal our peace, and even
• harm our health.
It distracts us from the present moment
and keeps us from trusting God.
But here’s the good news:
God doesn’t want us to live under the burden of worry.
He invites us to cast our cares on Him.
In 1 Peter 5:7, we’re told, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
Did you hear that? *All* your anxiety.
• Not just some of it.
• Not just the big stuff.
• All of it.
God cares about every detail of your life, and He wants to carry the weight for you.
So, why do we struggle to let go of worry?
Often, it’s because we feel like we need … to be . . . . in control.
We think if we worry enough, we can somehow prevent bad things from happening.
But the truth is, we were never in control to begin with. God is.
And He is far more capable of handling our lives than we are.
So, if you worry lots, you have Trust Issues!
Do you know what worry does to you?
Physically,
worry can lead to sleepless nights, high blood pressure, and even weakened immune systems.
Emotionally,
it can leave us feeling drained, irritable, and hopeless.
Spiritually,
worry can create a barrier between us and God, making it hard to hear His voice or trust His promises.
But here’s a VERY IMPORTANT TRUTH:
Worry is a choice.
It’s not something that just happens to us.
We choose
• to dwell on our fears,
• to replay worst-case scenarios in our minds,
• to hold onto our anxieties instead of releasing them to God.
And the more we feed our worries, the bigger they grow.
That’s why Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
He’s not saying that life will be free of trouble.
He’s saying that we don’t have to carry the weight of tomorrow’s troubles today.
As we begin this series on worry, I want to challenge you to do something:
*Identify your worry.*
What is it that’s weighing you down right now?
Is it finances? Relationships? Health? The future?
Whatever it is, name it.
Bring it into the light.
And then, take the next step: *Release it to God.*
“Lord, this is my worry right now.
It’s draining me
It’s robbing me of joy
It’s taking me away from You.
LORD – I give you this worry – I hand it over to you!
You deal with, as only you can.
As I give you my worry, I ask that you fill my life with your Holy Spirit.
Thank you
Amen
Challenge:
This week, I encourage you to meditate daily on Philippians 4:6-7, which says,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.”
Notice what this verse tells us to do:
Pray instead of worrying.
Bring your requests to God with a heart of thanksgiving.
And when we do that, God promises (say, “God promises”) to give us His peace —
a peace that doesn’t make sense to the world,
a peace that guards our hearts and minds even in the midst of life’s storms.
Let me ask you this:
• What would your life look like if you truly lived free from worry?
• What would it feel like to wake up each morning with a sense of peace, knowing that God is in control?
• What would it be like to face challenges with confidence, trusting that God will provide for your every need?
That’s the life God wants for us.
It’s not a life free from trouble,
but a life free from the burden of worry.
It’s a life where we can rest in the assurance that
• God is with us, that
• He is for us, and that
• He will never walk away from us.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive deeper into how we can overcome worry and find peace in the storms of life.
We’ll explore practical tools like prayer, gratitude, and trusting in God’s promises.
We’ll learn how to shift our focus from our problems to our Provider.
So, as we close today, I want to leave you with this:
*Choose trust over worry.*
When those anxious thoughts creep in, remind yourself of God’s promises.
Remind yourself that
? He is with you,
? He is for you, and
? He is in control.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, we come to You today, acknowledging the burden of worry that so many of us carry. We confess that we often try to control things that are beyond our control, and in doing so, we lose sight of Your goodness and faithfulness to us.
Help us to release our worries to You, trusting that You are our provider, our protector, and our peace. As we begin this series, open our hearts to Your truth and teach us to live in the freedom of Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
