Worry - Finding Peace in Difficult Times

Where do we go from here? Big question, right? We all know what will need to be done. But exactly how we get there will be a day-by-day discovery.

Why did this happen? Let’s take that one off the table before we get any further. We live in a fallen world where pain and trouble is part and parcel of life.

The question we should be asking ourselves is, “how is it that we’ve been so blessed up til now.

But we can’t escape the fact that life will be particularly challenging for the foreseeable future. It’ll be tough. Tiring. And expensive. How do we find peace?

There are plenty things we can choose to worry about.

Some of us worry about handling the responsibilities given to us: Where will the money come from for all the bills? Will we have enough? Where can we find reputable contractors?

Others worry about outcomes: How will everything look after we’re done? What if our loved ones get sick? What if I get sick? Some of us worry about what we will wear and eat.

Whatever the cause, we all can become consumed by the circumstances that we can’t predict or control.

Webster’s dictionary defines worry this way: “to think about problems or fears; to feel or show fear and concern because you think that something bad has happened or could happen”.

We worry, hoping that worry will somehow change the situation, solve problems, or bring peace in its place.

Instead, worry brings sleepless nights, a heaviness that weighs down our hearts, anxiety, and a bad attitude. It leaves us functioning at half capacity.

Worry does nothing but stop us from making progress on the very issue that we are worried about.

Let’s read what Jesus said concerning worrying about physical things:

Matthew 6:25–32 KJV 1900

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

In this sermon of Jesus he’s warning about our use of wealth. The religious leaders of His day were greedy and used religion to make money.

Jesus was saying that if we have true righteousness, then we’ll have a proper attitude toward material wealth.

If we look at life from an eternal perspective, everything we have is just stuff that will waste away eventually. and what will it matter after we die?

On the other hand, nowhere did Jesus magnify poverty or criticize the legitimate getting of wealth. God has given us “richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17)

But we still tend to worry.

Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter (Matt. 6:27).

The Greek word translated take no thought or worrying in verse 27 literally means “to be drawn in different directions.” Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and clothe us. It is our “little faith” that hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.

Ultimately, worry comes down to two things: fear and a lack of trust. We fear that the future won’t hold what we consider to be good.

We fear we won’t get what we want and how we want it. We fear the worst and what that will do to us.

We don’t trust that God is making progress on our situation, that He is aware of our difficulties or that He will come through for us.

Fear and a lack of trust cause us to spend our time on “what-if’s”, adding extra steps to our journey, and running after things that make us feel safe and secure, like money, acceptance and approval.

God doesn’t want us to run after the “what-if’s” swirling around in our heads.

He wants us to trust that He will take care of us. He wants us to face the future with confidence.

This may sound rather odd, but He wants us to laugh at the future because we are so excited for the good things that He has in store.

He created us to walk with the confidence that He is caring for us and holds our future in His hands. Over the next few Sundays we’ll see how God is going to show you how your worry can be replaced with confidence.

Let’s close with this verse from the book of Isaiah:

Isaiah 41:10 KJV 1900

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Prayer