“I hear you were an expert.” “Some people tell me that.” “Did you go to school, read books, or take a class?” “No, it came from a life time of self-training and practice.” “Did it change or improve your life?” “Not one single bit. My doctor did tell me it was affecting my health.” “I’m beginning to lose ground with my struggle. Can you recommend a book?” “Sure, the Bible. It gives a complete overview. Start with Philippians 4:6.” Don’t worry about anything. Yes, I’m the expert. I even mastered how to worry when I didn’t have anything to worry about. I worried that when life was going too good, it meant something bad was going to happen. I could even justify it by telling myself the more I worried, the more it showed God how concerned I was. If I didn’t worry, He would think I really didn’t care.
So, I’m addressing this subject from experience and would first tell all the worriers they need to ask themselves “why do I worry and what do I expect to gain.” Those like me, with a melancholy temperament are more prone to worry, but that doesn’t mean it is an uncontrollable trait nor can we use it as an excuse for saying this is who I am and just can’t help worrying. Also influencing our propensity for worry are the people around us, especially our family. If one parent is a worry-wort, they are unknowingly teaching their children to worry. For me, because people hurt me so much along with numerous negative experiences as a preteen, this exacerbated my distrust of people, which contributed to my predisposition for worry. Numerous ‘whys’ exist, but we can’t use them as a justification. The seventh century writer, John Jay Chapman, well illustrates a compulsive worrier. People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins they start worrying they will catch a cold.
Jesus provided the ultimate reason why worrying is such a futile activity with a question. He asked, Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life (Matt 6:27 NIV)? Studies show that 90% of what we worry about never happens. Worry dishonors God and demonstrates a lack of faith and trust. When asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God . . . with all your mind (Matt 22:37 NIV). Realize worry is a state of mind. It is a mental choice we make. If we fill our mind with worry, that leaves less than ‘all’ for God. In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught that worry chokes our spiritual fruit. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life . . . choke it, making it unfruitful (Matt 13:22 NIV).
A second question the worrier should ask is “what do I worry about.” The majority of our worries are based on fear, uncertainty, and speculation about what might happen tomorrow or even in the distant future. A close second is the regrets of yesterday. Simply said, worry is bringing tomorrows assumed problems into today and dragging the regrets of yesterday’s unchangeable failures along with us. No past mistake or imagined future situation has an inherent component of worry attached. Worry is a choice we make about how we react to our circumstances. We can develop a habit of worry and replay over and over a scenario of possibilities for tomorrow or failures of yesterday. Worry is like walking on a treadmill; we use a lot of energy but don’t get anywhere.
Overcoming worry is an ongoing process. We don’t solve worry by avoiding a situation rather it is a matter of changing one’s mind and thought process. It involves a renewing of your mind through the help of the Holy Spirit; be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2). The more we grow in our trust of the promises in scripture, the less we worry. Jesus named several things we aren’t to worry about. Don’t worry about your life including what you eat, drink, or wear (Matt 6:24). These are elements in the hierarchy of human needs, which are the basic essentials of physical life. He added don’t worry about tomorrow (Matt 10:19). Jesus even takes worry down to household duties when Martha seemed overwhelmed with preparing a meal for Jesus. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things” (Lk 10:41 NIV). If you listed all your worries and eliminated everything Jesus told us not to worry about, would you have anything left on your list?
One last question for the worriers, “What benefits or advantages have you gained from all your past worry?” From an expert with years of experience I can tell you worry is an exercise of futility. It changes absolutely nothing. You can’t change the regrets from yesterday. You can only learn from them. Concerning tomorrow, God owns tomorrow and there’s a 90% chance what you are worried about won’t happen. If God created us, we can trust Him with the details of our future life. Isn’t it time you start enjoying the present?
Sustaining Word for the Week: Cast all your worries on him because he continually cares for you (1 Pet 5:7) and don’t worry about anything (Phil 4:6).