Worry Series

Series: There’s an App for That

“Worry”

Matthew 6:25-34

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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.”