Worry the Enemy of Real Faith
Drew Stephens
Do you worry? All of us do. Perhaps a better question is how often and how intently do you worry?
What kind of things do you worry about?
Are they mostly the big things…
· World Events
· Crime
· Your Finances
· Your Relationships
· Your Children
· Your Mate
· Your Job
· Your Health
Or do you also worry about somewhat less significant issues…
· Your Clothes
· Your Weight
· Your Appearance
· What others think about you
·
Again and again God’s Word exhorts us not to worry.
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matt 6:27
“An anxious heart weighs a man down…” Proverbs 12:25
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“Do not be anxious about anything…” Philippians 4:6
God tells us again and again not to worry and yet all of us worry.
So what is worry and why is it so attractive to us?
WORRY – what is it?
A. Worry is an EMOTION
B. Worry is an ATTITUDE
C. Worry is an ACT OF THE WILL
The picture behind the word “Worry” is very descriptive.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Like a dog worrying a bone.” Its an old English phrase that contains the picture behind the word worry. A dog will shake, chew, gnaw and lick and bite on a bone for hours, trying to wear it down. It’s a compulsion. The dog will work and work on that bone unless something of great importance interrupts him. And even when he becomes exhausted of worrying the bone a dog will go and bury it, so he’ll know just where to find it later. Left unchecked a dog will work that bone until it is totally dissolved.
Now when it comes to us humans, when we submit ourselves to worry –WE BECOME THE BONE. Through worry we allow ourselves to literally have the life shaken out of us.
Now if you think I am exaggerating let me replace the word Worry with the word Stress.
D. Worry is both the result of, and results in STRESS.
The more we worry the more stress we incur upon our lives and the more stress in our lives the more we tend to worry.
What does stress left unchecked lead to?
1. Physical Ailments
1. Hypertension
2. Ulcers
3. Anorexia Nervosa
4. Asthma
5. Cancer
6. Angina
Disease after disease either results from or is contributed to by stress. In fact if you simply look at the word
Disease = DIS –EASE= not at peace, stress, worry.
Read encyclopedia article:
1. Stress and therefore worry is a real threat to our lives PHYSICALLY.
2. Stress, worry and anxiety can also threaten our lives RELATIONALLY.
Worry can often incapacitate our relationships. We become so consumed with the dread of what might happen that we limit ourselves and prevent those around us from getting to close.
3. Stress and Worry can threaten our lives EMOTIONALLY.
Proverbs 12:25 “Anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”
A. Worry can rob us of the joy of NEW EXPERIENCES.
A few years ago my daughter Melissa took her first plane ride by herself. She was to fly back to Indiana to surprise her grandparents. Before she left she was very concerned that the airline might lose her in Chicago and that she might miss her plane to Indiana where she was to be picked up by her aunt. To comfort her I explained how good of care the Airlines take of your luggage. I told her that I’ve flown all over the world and though it may have been delayed, I have never lost a piece of luggage that I checked with the airline. I told her if they take that good of care of a suitcase how much better care will they take of precious 9 year old girl. Now that did comfort her a little, but because she was worried she missed out on some of the adventure of striking out in the world on your own. Really she missed some of the adventure of growing up. She did arrive safely and I believe she really enjoyed the return trip.
Unfortunately they lost her luggage in Chicago. So much for parental wisdom and comfort.
B. Worry can limit us from REACHING OUR GOALS.
Share Long Jump Story
“Son, if you want to get anywhere in the long jump you have to set
your sights on where you want to end up and not where you’re going to start.”
The same is true in life if you or I want to get anywhere we have to set our sights on where we want to end up and not worry about failing to begin.
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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(NIV)
4. Worry can threaten our lives SPIRITUALLY.
A. Worry incapacitates us from taking an active part in GOD’S KINGDOM.
B. It limits the potential for God to work through us because we LACK FAITH.
C. Worry blocks our VIEW of God
1. Worry blocks our view of Who He really is.
2. Worry blocks our view of How Much He really loves us.
3. Worry blocks our view of His Omnipotence.
4. Corporate Worry limits the effectiveness of the church.
5. Worry blocks our prayers and causes us to be double minded.
James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
(NIV)
If we worry that God is either unable our uninterested in answering our prayers, our prayers are in vain.
The bottom line as we begin to examine Worry the Enemy of Real Faith, is that we need to recognize that worry is almost always about ME!
Did you notice that as we went through the list of common things we worry about most of them contain the word You or Your. Even in crime or world events we are primarily concerned about how it will effect us.
· Your Finances
· Your Relationships
· Your Children
· Your Mate
· Your Job
· Your Health
· Your Clothes
· Your Weight
· Your Appearance
· What others think about You.
So the bottom line as we begin to examine worry we need to recognize that the problem with worry is Me. When I worry what I am really saying is I want to be in control.
Why does God’s Word compel us not to worry? Because worry is the enemy of faith.
· Worry says; I NEED TO BE in control.
· Faith says; GOD IS in control.
Now lets examine what real faith is.
· Faith is fully resting in the fore-acknowledgement that God is fulfilling His divine purpose. And that He will fulfill that purpose in us, through us, for us and if need be in spite of us for His glory.
Faith is putting the full weight of our concerns upon Christ, recognizing that He is in control and that we will encounter nothing that does not first pass through the filter of His permissive will.
Now wait a minute, do you mean that God causes our difficulties, struggles and heartaches and suffering?
The answer to that question is sometime yes and sometimes no. There are certainly times when God will use suffering to discipline us. There are other times when we are suffering as a result of sin, either our own or of someone else. But nothing happens to us or to those we love without God permitting it to happen.
Lets examine why suffering exists
1. First of all suffering exists as a result of the Fall of man.
- Suffering, death, hardship, pain and difficulties are a result of the fall
Genesis 3: 17-19 says, “to Adam he said, Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat of it,
Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat you food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you and to dust you will return.”
2. Secondly suffering exists as a result of our own sin.
Prov 1:30-31
30 They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies.
(NKJ)
Jer 30:15
15 Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.
3. Thirdly suffering exists as a result of the sins of others
Genesis 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
(NKJ)
Exod 1:11-12
11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.
(NKJ)
4. Fourthly suffering exists as a means for bringing glory to God, and strengthening our relationship with Him
God has always used suffering to perfect and purify His people and to demonstrate the sufficiency of His grace. It’s only when we don’t trust in His sovereignty or don’t understand His purposes, that we are apt to experience worry, fear, and anxiety when things go wrong.
But suffering brings enormous benefits:
A. Suffering VERIFIES Our Faith.
Peter used the analogy of an goldsmith to illustrate this benefit of suffering. Just as a goldsmith uses fire to purify gold by burning away the dross, so God uses trials to test and to purify our faith:
[You] are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 1:6–7)
Those verses tell us that trials are temporary (“for a little while”); they bring both physical and mental anguish (“you have been distressed”); they come in many forms (“by various trials”); but they needn’t diminish our joy (“in this you greatly rejoice”).
“Fire” symbolizes trials, “gold” symbolizes our faith, and “proof” is the final product of the purifying process—the tested, pure metal. A proven faith is precious because it gives us the joy and assurance of knowing we are genuine Christians.
B. Suffering CONFIRMS Our Sonship.
Even when your suffering is the result of God’s chastening, you can rejoice because it proves that He loves you. Hebrews 12:5–8 says,
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
C. Suffering PRODUCES Endurance.
James said, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4).
First Peter 5:10 says, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
D. Suffering PROMOTES Self-Evaluation.
When circumstances are good, it’s easy to praise the Lord and feel optimistic about life in general. When troubles come, we often become impatient with God and question His sovereignty and grace. At such times we are forced to look deep into our hearts and deal with our lack of faith. They can be precious times of profound spiritual discovery and growth.
E. Suffering CLARIFIES Our Priorities.
In times of prosperity, our hearts can be divided and our priorities confused. God warned the Israelites to guard against that when they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 6:10–13). When suffering comes, it changes our focus from the world to God.
F. Suffering IDENTIFIES Us with Christ.
Suffering for the Lord’s sake is a distinguishing mark of all true believers. Paul told Timothy that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). He said to the Thessalonian believers, “You, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hand of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out” (1 Thess. 2:14–15).
In Galatians 6:17 Paul says, “I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.” He received wounds that were aimed at Christ. It was his privilege to do so because he longed to share in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering
Listen to Paul’s life goal. - “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death and so somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil. 3:10).
G. Suffering Can ENCOURAGE Other Believers.
Often God uses the suffering of one believer to encourage and strengthen others. The response of the Thessalonian Christians to their trials was an example to believers throughout all Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess. 1:6–7). Paul’s first imprisonment resulted in greater progress for the gospel because it gave other believers “far more courage to speak the word of God without fear” (Phil. 1:14).
H. Suffering Can BENEFIT Unbelievers.
Quite often the Lord uses the persecution of believers to draw the unbelievers to Himself—like He did with the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. The jailer was charged with guarding Paul and Silas after they had been beaten unlawfully and thrown into prison. Their only “crimes” were proclaiming Christ and casting an evil spirit out of a slave-girl (vv. 16–23).
The jailer surely heard them praying and singing hymns of praise to God (v. 25) because following the miraculous earthquake in verse 26, and his near suicide in verse 27, he asked them what he had to do to be saved (v. 30). Paul and Silas preached the gospel to him and his entire household, and they all believed (vv. 31–34).
I. Suffering ENABLES Us to Help Others.
Often those who suffer the most are most sensitive to the suffering of others. That promotes the wonderful graces of mercy and compassion. In a sense, that’s the thrust of Hebrews 4:15–16: “We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”
Jesus knows how much we struggle with temptation and human frailties because He had similar struggles. He can sympathize with us and comfort us as we draw near to Him through prayer and the Word.
God’s grace is more than sufficient for your every need. Is your relationship with Him deep and trusting enough to draw you to Him during times of difficulty? Are you content to endure weaknesses, insults, distresses, and persecutions for Christ’s sake so that you can be spiritually strong even amid physical and emotional weakness?
· Suffering is for our good when it fulfills God’s purpose and plan for our lives and brings Him glory. Therefore faith is the power that enables us to endure suffering and ultimately allow it to bring God glory through our lives.
So how do we develop the kind of faith that can defeat Worry and endure Suffering?
One of the most encouraging things in the Bible is the humanness of the apostles. They literally screwed up in every way that you and I possibly can. And conversely I, at least have followed their example of failure on numerous occasions. Peter denied the Lord. Judas betrayed Him. Thomas doubted Him. And all of them, even the one of whom it is said Jesus love, John all of them worried. They worried about their safety, they worried about money, about how many time they had to forgive, and even about who would be the greatest among them who would sit and Jesus right hand and who would sit at His left. Time and time again Jesus remarked on their lack of faith
Mark 16:14 tells us that Jesus even rebuked them for their lack of faith after He had risen from the dead. “Later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen he after he had risen.”
But Jesus also encouraged them in their faith by telling them before hand the difficulties and trials that they would endure.
“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking but the Spirit of the Father speaking through you.”
· In essence Jesus said, “Trust Me, remember who I am and trust Me.”
The Disciples failed often to remember who Jesus is, and yet they learned to have great faith; the kind of faith for which they eventually suffered the ultimate test of faith, martyrdom.
One of the most vivid examples of simultaneous faith and the lack there of is the story of the stilling of the storm. In this story the apostles know where to turn for help but they didn’t yet understand who they were turning too.
Mark 4:35-41 recounts the story, but because it is so familiar to us I want you to listen to the story form a slightly different viewpoint, not as words on a page but perhaps as the disciples themselves experienced it.
PARAPHRASE:
It had been a great day. We were discussing with each other several of the parable Jesus had taught that day. We had a rousing discussion over whether or not the parable of the mustard seed meant we would have wings in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew who could see the profit in everything, being a tax collector at one time, was convinced that we would be like the birds and definitely have wings. Nathaniel however was certain that it simply meant that the kingdom would start small with us and grow to encompass the world.
Just yesterday we’d seen Jesus raise a young boy from he dead. And today, with just a word he healed the Centurions servant. He never saw him let alone touch him and yet he healed him just like that. It was amazing. He healed a blind man today. He cast out evil spirits and he told us we would to these same things ourselves, unbelievable. It was an incredible day. But it must have been exhausting for Jesus. Almost before we managed to push the boat out to sea he was asleep. With all the teaching, and healing and the crowds pressing in on him all day it was no wonder he was exhausted. We let sleep.
It felt good to back at sea, away from the crowd;, to feel the gentle rocking of the boat and to stretch our muscles at the oars. But about the time we reached the middle of the lake the wind began to pick up. Within seconds it turned into a gale. It grew so fierce we had to take the sail down for fear it would rip. The waves began to crash against the boat in a torrent fury. This was some storm. It seemed to come out of no where. We’d seen many a storm on the Sea of Galilee, but this was different. With all our might w fought against the oars, trying desperately to keep the boat headed into the waves lest we should capsize. To fall into the sea in a storm like this would mean certain death. Despite the strength of 12 strong men we couldn’t keep the boat aligned nor keep pace bailing the surge of water that entered as each new wave crashed upon our bow.
Yet somehow through it all, through the lightning, the thunder, the waves, the wind, Jesus slept. He was totally exhausted and yet totally at peace. To be honest it was irritating, here we were fighting for all of our lives and he just slept like a baby. He could of at least helped us bail water. Although it took awhile for us to finally say it, all of us were thinking, doesn’t he realize the danger were in. We could die. Suddenly a might wave crashed over the port side of the boat ripping the oars from the hands of James and John. The boat began to spin. Another enormous wave loomed just a few yards from the starboard side. We were doomed! With one voice of fear and frustration we cried out, “Jesus, don’t you care were all going to drown… do something for heavens sake.” Jesus awoke with a start from our cries. He looked at us. It was a piercing look. It went right through each of us like a knife. Though still terrified by the storm an even greater fear gripped our hearts. Somehow in that look we knew we had failed him. We didn’t know how, we were dying after all.
Jesus turned and faced the raging sea. Calmly almost softly and yet with incredible power he simply said, “Peace, be still.” Instantly the storm ceased. One second we were riding high on the crest of a wave and holding on with all our might and the next we found ourselves seated in a boat so still you would have thought we had run aground.
Jesus turned back to us and asked “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” It was as if he asked don’t you know who I am. The truth is we didn’t. We even asked one another, “Who is this man that even the wind and waves obey him?
Although we didn’t at the time, now we know who he is and that he, even when we think he’s asleep is always in control.
“Who is this man?” That is the pivotal question.
1. Really understanding WHO Jesus is the difference between Worry and Faith.
The good news is faith is to some degree a process. The more we discover who Jesus really is, the stronger our faith will become and we will learn to worry less and less.
Hebrews 11:1 says… “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Faith is a proper understanding of who God is.
“God is our refuge and strength a ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam (sound familiar to the storm the disciples faced) and the mountains quake with their surging….” (Listen to these words that echo what Jesus said when he stilled the storm) “Be still, and know that I am God…”
2. The cure for worry, stress, suffering, doubt and fear are found in this verse… “Be still and know that I am God.”
Conclusion:
The only way to overcome worry, fear, doubt and stress is to be still and know who God is. Know that he cares for you, though the mountains shake, though your whole world comes down around you, He is still God. And He loves and cares for you.
Remember nothing will happen to you or around you that does not first come through the filter of God’s permissive will. We may not understand it. We may not like it. It may appear to be the most desperate of situations but God is still in control, and He has a purpose for your life in the midst of the storm.
Now from a practical standpoint, how do we learn to be still. I don’t know about you but that little verse is the most difficult command in all of scripture for me. For me the moment I become still, I fall asleep. I go full bore in just about everything I do, and when I slow down long enough to be still, I tend to fall asleep.
So practically speaking how do we learn to be still and genuinely know who God is?
1. Being Still takes PRACTICE
2. Being Still takes DISCIPLINE
3. Being Still takes a DESIRE to know God above all things
4. Being Still is a PROCESS, It won’t happen overnight.
Stillness is found when we are alone. But it doesn’t have to be in the wilderness, it could be in your car.
Stillness is found on purpose, you must pursue it. It won’t sneak up on you.
Stillness and a proper understanding of who God is can only be found by spending time with God Himself.
