Worry (transitive verb): to feel or experience concern or anxiety
Worry (noun): mental distress or agitation resulting from concern usually for something impending or anticipated
This verse in Proverbs inspired this post:
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25
A-ha! “Weighs” is more than just a measurement on a scale; when it’s used as “weighs down”, it means to overburden or oppress. To reach my optimal health, I want to release any burdens. And according to this verse in Proverbs, that means letting go of WORRY.
Years ago, when the kids where toddlers, I was a fanatical planner – I spent more time in my Franklin Covey daily planner than I did in my Bible! This obsession was a defense mechanism against worry. If I had a plan, I didn’t worry. I believed that making a detailed, meticulous plan was the insurance for the future. Nothing could go wrong if I planned ahead.
But as I’ve grown closer to God, I saw the inaccuracies in my thinking. And my attempts for self-sufficiency kept me from true intimacy with Christ. All that time spent planning for the future may have stopped me from worrying, but it also prevented me from living in the present.
Worry robs the present of its Joy.
Now I’ve come to see worry differently. I think some people believe worry is an expression of love. That worry is a necessity in order to show how much someone else is loved. Basically, if I don’t “worry” about my kids as much as another parent, I must love my kids less than the other parent, right? Or perhaps that if I don’t worry about my kids as much as others, I am seen as naive and can’t possibly understand what a dangerous world we live in, right?
Worry is not an expression of Love.
But scripture is pretty clear on this matter. Several paragraphs throughout the gospel of Matthew and Luke lay out Christ’s instructions: Do Not Worry.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” Luke 12:22
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
I see now that when I worry, I am doubting God’s sovereignty, love, faithfulness and majesty. Worry keeps me from believing that God provides.
Worry is a form of disobedience and does not glorify God.
Worry weighs me down, burdens me, keeps me from living the abundant life God planned for me!
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27
Worry clearly doesn’t “add” time to my life, and in fact, could prove to be just the opposite. Living in a state of worry is likely to reduce my lifespan through stress-related diseases. In my last post, I asked the question “What is holding back my shine?” Worry is definitely one of the answers to that question.
So, like any bad “habit” (aka repeated behavior) I want to change, I need a replacement of a positive behavior.
Trust is the antidote to worry.
To worry less, I will work on trusting more. I will learn a new habit: Whenever worry creeps into my heart or mind, I will whisper the words, “I trust you Jesus.” In these moments, I will reflect on God’s power and ponder the depth of Christ’s love for me.
As a disciple of Christ, I am called to live one day at time. To depend on Him. To trust that each day He will provide what I need. In Proverbs 30: 7-9, we read Agur’s prayer request for “only my daily bread”. In my words, this means…
God,
Don’t give me any more or less than I need, for I know my own weakness of character: I’m likely to be self-satisfied with excess and self-seeking with lack. Therefore, I trust you will give me what’s needed to love and serve you well.
Amen