When my wife was eight months pregnant with our first child I had to fly from our home in New Jersey to attend a wedding in Nebraska. While I was worried about traveling that close to her due date, our doctor assured me my wife was unlikely to go into labor that early. The night before the wedding I went to a movie with my friends. Part way through my phone rang. I saw it was my wife, but since I was in a movie I ignored it. A minute later she called again…and then a third time a minute after that. All of a sudden I was hit with a wave of panic. There could only be one reason for her to call three times in a row: the baby was coming! I rushed out of the theatre, trying to discern how I could get back to New Jersey in time. I called her, asking if everything was ok. She responded in a fearful and crying voice: “no, I’m not ok! There is a cockroach in our bedroom!” I hate to say it, but I doubt that anyone has ever gone from 100% caring to 100% irritable as quickly as I did. In my mind, a cockroach was not anything to worry about. That brings us to today’s theme. Do we let our worries and fears take over our lives? Do we always truly believe that God is faithful?
I’m sure all of us “manly men” don’t fear cockroaches. We do, however, have many worries and fears. Maybe it’s our finances, our jobs, our friendships, our future, our children and their futures, etc. Whatever it is, we likely find ourselves worrying, and not just for a minute or two. Often worry can consume our lives. This ability of worry to consume our lives is not a new phenome. Jesus famously addressed it in Matthew 6:
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:31-34.
Here are three of the things I take away from those verses.
- Don’t worry about material things: God will provide what we need. Don’t get swept up in worrying about stuff!
- Worrying is useless: This is my favorite point Jesus makes. Does worrying actually help? Nope! When something worries you make a plan, address the problem, and entrust God with the results.
- God has a guaranteed solution: We focus so much time worrying about days and weeks instead of celebrating eternity. Regardless of whatever struggles lay in front of us, God has already guaranteed us a PERFECT eternity with Him.
The next time you begin to worry take a deep breath and remember that God is faithful
