THE WEIGHT OF WORRY

          Jesus urged His first-century followers saying, Do not be anxious for your life… (Mt.6:25).  Specifically, He admonished them not to be overly-concerned with food, drink or clothing (Mt.6:25-31) and not to worry about tomorrow (Mt.6:34).  While few of us worry about our daily bread, a considerable number of us find ourselves weighed down with worry about the future.  Worry is wrong!  While Jesus wants all to be good stewards (Lk.19:11ff), worry amounts to concern gone to seed.  Anxiety is a crippler:  emotionally, physically and spiritually.  More often than not, it’s worry, not work, that makes modern man weary.  Worry, anxiety, stress - - such are major players in the ailments that afflict so many in our culture.

         In the text referenced above, three points are made by Jesus concerning anxiety that are needing our serious consideration.  First of all, Jesus says that worry is unnecessary (Mt.6:25-27).  If God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field (which He does quite well!), will He not also care for those of us (humans), who as the culmination and crown of His creation are of much greater worth (Mt.6:26 & 30).  Does not excessive worry on our part equate with questioning God’s sovereignty and benevolence?  Secondly, worry is unproductive.  What good does it really accom-plish?  Can it add a single cubit to one’s stature (Mt.6:27)?  As someone has well-noted, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrows, it only saps today of its strength.”  In a similar vein, while worry cannot change the past, it sure can ruin the present.  Thirdly, worry is unbecoming.  Although non-believers behave in such a way (Mt.6:32), ought not God’s children be characterized by a different mindset?  David faced a savage lion, a fero-cious bear, gigantic Goliath, murderous King Saul and his treacherous son Absalom (just to name a few of his many trials and tribulations), yet he wrote, “Do not fret” (Ps.37: 1, 7 & 8).  Positively speaking, David continues to counsel us with his words of wisdom, “Trust in the Lord” (Ps.37:3).       

          For far too many, worry, anxiety and stress have become routine.  Surely serious students of the Bible and disciples of Christ must realize that God expects better of His children.  The apostle Paul exhorts his readers, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philp.4:6).  When we begin to consistently practice these words of admonition the peace of God will come to guard our minds and hearts in Christ Jesus (Philp.4:7).  Peter, likewise, directs his readers to cast all their anxieties upon the Lord (1Pet.5:7).  The weight of worry is too great to carry.  Even the strongest among us will fail and falter under its load.  For faithful Christians, worry must not be allowed to preempt the governance of our good and gracious God.            

                                                                                                    Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ