Don’t Worry

Christians don’t worry the way the world does, even though God has not promised to shield us

As citizens of the United States of America, we are blessed beyond our capacity to appreciate it. We live in a time and place where life is easier and more convenient than it has ever been before. We get more done in less time than ever before, and we have much more time for leisurely pursuits. Yet, we also seem to be under much more stress than those who have come before us. Even the poorest Americans have a better quality of life than a tremendous percentage of the rest of the world, and we all worry about losing the things we have. Whether we are rich, poor, or somewhere in between, we all have to cope with the challenges that life presents us.

Christians have a tremendous advantage over those who are not Christians, we don’t worry when it comes to taking on the challenges of life. We don’t worry about things the way the world does, even though God has not promised to shield us from the problems that are common to all humanity. As Matthew 5:45 reminds us, “he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Still, God has equipped Christians with some outstanding mechanisms for dealing with life’s difficulties (John 9:31). However, many Christians fail to take advantage of the advantages that God provides. Of all people we ought to know how to manage the stresses of life on Earth so that we don’t worry!

The Lord has taught His children not to worry about things that are out of our control. In Matthew 6:27, Jesus posed this question: “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” In essence, He is saying don’t worry. The words, “taking thought” translate a Greek term, which literally means to “be anxious,”or “to worry.” The point is that, just as we cannot make ourselves grow taller simply by worrying about our height, we also cannot deal with issues that are out of our control simply by worrying about them. That is why, in Philippians 4:6, Paul wrote: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing…let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “careful” translates another Greek term, which refers to the concept of worry. The implication of this teaching is that it is a sin to worry about things we can do nothing about. That is what Jesus was getting at in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6:25-34, He used the phrase, “take no thought” three times and alluded to it in questions two other times. Clearly, the Lord wants us not to worry so much about things that are beyond our control. Don’t worry and trust that God is in control.

Still, it is natural for human beings to worry about all kinds of things. People worry about the economy, the environment, terrorism, and a host of other issues that are simply beyond the control of a single person. The Bible teaches us to take the worries and fears we do have and cast them upon God’s shoulders. In 1 Peter 5:7, it is written, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God will listen to His people; even at times when it seems like no one else will (Psalms 142:1-7). The thing is that, in order for our prayers to be most effective, we must listen to our Father’s counsel, which is found in His holy Word (Psalms 119:49-50). Remember that 1 Peter 5:7 teaches that we should cast our “care” (“worry”) upon God, because He “careth” (“worries”) about us. Some Christians have got the idea that their problems are too small and insignificant to be worthy of God’s attention. But, the Bible reminds us that our Heavenly Father loves each one of us, and He cares about the things we care about. That is why the Lord calls out to us from His Word to obey the gospel plan of salvation and become members of His church. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). It ought to be reassuring to us, to know that God worries about us, just as we worry about our own children.

Coping with the challenges of life is difficult, to be sure, but it ought to be much easier for faithful members of the Lord’s church than it is for those who have no relationship with God. That is why the rest of the world will always marvel at the serenity of the Lord’s people and how we don’t worry. The “peace of God, which passeth all understanding” comes only from the knowledge that God cares about us. We don’t worry because we know that He can help us face the challenges of life in this world (Philippians 4:7). If you are searching for peace on Earth, you need not look any further than the Bible. Turn to God and don’t worry anymore. In the pages of God’s Word, you may find the counsel you need to stop worrying about all the world’s problems and to start looking forward to what lies beyond this life!

Salvation:  Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully