Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Proverbs 12:25, Matthew 6:25-34, I Peter 5:6-11
I. The Effects of Worry:
A. Health
1. Physical
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Disease
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Lack of Energy
2. Mental = Depression (Proverbs
12:25)
- effects @ least 25 million
- effects 1 in 5 homes
- costs $15-35 billion
- Destroys self-esteem
B. Socially
1. Strained relationships - Financial
stress #1 marriage killer
2. Loner mentality - avoid people,
especially if they appear to have
it all
3. Loss of job - Disrupt our
productivity
4. Destroys careers
5. Substance abuse
C. Spiritually
1. Objects of worry consume our minds
2. Weaken our witness - What is so
appealing about a miserable
Christian
3. Reduce ability to trust God
II. What we worry about
A. Comfort
1. Food - Look at the birds
2. Clothing - Lilies of the field
3. Shelter - God’s house is a very
big house
B. Acceptance
1. From peers - Acceptance by man
should not be our priority
2. From God - All who call on His
name shall be saved
C. Purpose in Life
1. God has a purpose for us all -
Ephesians 4
2. God uses all to bring out His
purpose - Romans 8:28
3. God’s purposes prevail to victory -
I Peter 5:10
III. What does God say about worry
A. Why bother?
1. Will it add time (v 27)
2. Will it change circumstances
(James 1)
3. Don’t you already have enough to
do (v 34)
B. Instead:
1. Seek God (v 33). The worries of
our lives are a result of Satan
having success in areas of
weakness. What better way is there
to chase Him and his worry agents
away!
2. Give it to God (1 Peter 5:7)
(Matthew 11:28. Too often we bring
it to God, but we don’t leave it
with Him. We pick it back up and
take it back upon ourselves. If we
bring it to God, He wants us to
leave it there.
3. Praise & Thanksgiving (Philippians
4:4-6). Don’t forget to say thank
you. God doesn’t want spoiled
ungrateful children as His
followers.
