A Christian’s approach to life situations part 2
Worry
There are 2 different ways this word worry is used in the Bible.
1. to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be anxious, be (unduly) concerned
2. to attend to, care for, be concerned about
So, there is good and bad side to this word. First, let’s take look at the
good.
1 Corinthians 12:25 that there should be no schism in
the body, but that the members should have the same care for one
another.
We should be concerned for one another and love
one another.
Philippians 2:20 For I have no one like-minded, who
will sincerely care for your state.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and
these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in
God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and
profitable to men.
We should always be concerned about how we are living our life for God.
The bad kind of worrying is when a person becomes so overwhelmed with worry that it cause them to be distracted from what they should be doing. This is why the Bible tells us
Philippians 4:6 Be
anxious for nothing..
My Grandma was the worlds
worst when it came to worrying…
Dangers of worry
Mark 4:18
"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who
hear the word, 19 "and
the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other
things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
One thing that is high on
list in
1 Timothy 6:6 Now
godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing out. 8
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich
fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful
lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root
of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in
their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Not only does the worry
of money distract us others things do as well.
Luke 10:38 Now it
happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman
named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus'
feet and heard His word. 40
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said,
"Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore
tell her to help me." 41
And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and
troubled about many things. 42
"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will
not be taken away from her."
If we allow worry to consume us it can make us be unprepared for the judgment day.
Luke 21:34 "But be on your guard so that
your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries
of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will overtake all who
live on the face of the whole earth.
I could list all kinds of
things that we worry about, but it is the source of worries?
Matthew 6:30 "Now if God so clothes the
grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will
He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
When we worry it’s
because we have a lack of faith in God and his providential care.
Romans 8:32 He who
did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not
with Him also freely give us all things?
Hebrews 13:5 Let
your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such
things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor
forsake you." 6 So we
may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can
man do to me?"
How do we deal with
worry?
We need to hand our
worries over to God in prayer and trust that He will take care of it.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall
sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty
hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God; 7 and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
Paul gives us some more good advice for overcoming worry.
Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are
ahead, 14 I press toward the
goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Finally, Jesus gives us some great insight on how deal with worry.
Matthew 6:25 "
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what
you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more
than food and the body more than clothing? Jesus is saying that you your life and you body is more important than food
or clothing and God will take care of us so don’t worry.
Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather
into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than
they? We are more valuable than a
bird every hair on our head is numbered.
Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious
can add a single hour to his span of life? When did worrying about anything change the situation.
Matthew 6:28
"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29
"and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these. 30
"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith? Show how
much God cares for us.
Matthew 6:31 "Therefore
do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What s hall we wear?' 32 "For after all these
things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all
these things. 33 "But
seek first the
Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Deal with today’s problems not yesterdays or tomorrow.