“And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?” Luke 12:25-26.
Have you ever wondered why human-beings like to worry? What are your thoughts? You see, even the best of us and certainly the rest of us have worries and concerns. As we live our lives on a daily basis, there are so many things that can cause us to worry. For some people, it’s not just one thing but a combination of things wrapped up together – the political climate, the failing economy, joblessness, sickness, family problems, difficulties with other people, school, money, work, health, bills to pay, problems with a husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, ex-husband, ex-wife, in-laws, the children, coupled with other mental pressure and stress. The list just seems endless.
Faced with the many challenges in life, some of us are prone to wonder and even question: Does God really care about us and what’s happening in our lives, in our country and in the world? Does God know about my situation? Does He really care about me and what is happening to me? Will He take care of me or do I have to handle things all by myself? These are some of the perplexing thoughts that sometimes bombard our minds.
However, God does not leave us wondering if He cares or not about us and our situations. He simple tells us – He has it covered. St. Matthew Chapter 6 reminds us that we should not worry. He has every aspect of our lives under control. So when those thoughts come to your mind, just say aloud – DO NOT WORRY! GOD HAS IT COVERED! This will stop the thought in its tracks.
You see, worrying disturbs our peace of mind. The excessive concern over the affairs of life gives us the all-consuming feeling of uncertainty and fear. When we worry, we are actually sinning because worrying displaces God in our life. When we commit the sin of worry, we are living as though God does not exist or that He is incapable of managing our affairs and the world. Worrying also distracts us from the things that really matter in life. As long as we are worrying, we can’t do anything else. We are strangled by it. This very act displeases God because it shows we lack confidence in Him to take care of us. As we continue on this journey of life, let us remember the three things in life that God warns us that we should never ever worry about:
1. Where our next meal is coming from. Jesus specifically mentions food for a reason, because it is one of the basic necessities of life. He admonishes us not to take thought for our life, what we shall eat, or what we shall drink. He questioned: “Is not life more than meat?” He further stated: “He feedeth the fowls of the air and are we not much better than they?” He will provide for us. What a wonderful God we serve!
2. What we are going to wear. God has that covered too. Verses 28-30 in Matt 6 states: “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” You see, my friends, God provides the things we need. Food and clothing stand for all the things we need to get along in the world, such as money, jobs, housing, transportation, and so on. By mentioning food and clothes, Jesus is really saying, “You are not to worry about any of these things.” He will take care of them. He takes care of every detail of our lives. Is that not awesome my friends?
3. How long we are going to live. Matthew 6 verse 27 states: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” The Bible also states in Hebrews 9:27, “It is appointed unto man once to die.” So worrying about it does not make sense. Death is one appointment we all must keep. It cannot be postponed or rescheduled. Nothing you do can change that fact in the least. The matter is in God’s hands. That should lift a tremendous load off our shoulders, doesn’t it? Each one of us is going to die someday – maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe later this year, maybe not for forty years, maybe suddenly, maybe slowly. Only God knows how it will happen and when. All we need to do is to always be in a state of preparedness.
Instead of worrying, we need to trust God more. He already knows the details of every problem in our lives. He is taking care of us. Maybe not exactly the way we expect. But He is taking care of us nonetheless. Let us place our lives in His hands and leave the details up to Him. Jesus’ final piece of advice to us in verse 34 of Matthew 6: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” What blessed assurance! He is always with us. We are never alone. He promises to be with us no matter what comes our way. With Him by our side we can face whatever comes with confidence and with joy. We need not fear. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
