Worry & Concern: Pastor Rajiv

Read: MATTHEW 6:25-34;1 PETER 5:5-11

While worry and anxiousness are somewhat negative emotions, concern is a legitimate one. Because if we did not have concerns, we would be apathetic individuals with no ability to focus on real problems.

While concern and worry are related, and worry uses concern to enter our lives, the truth of the matter is that concern provides spiritual energy to respond to problems with Godly solutions. No so worry. And that is why, today, we need to make that distinction.

Now without any exceptions all of us humans worry even those who say they do not worry about anything also worry about something or the other at some point in time. And the truth is that these days there is a lot to worry about.

We worry about the rising cost of living in this volatile economic environment we worry about our jobs. We worry about our kids irrespective of how grown up they may be we worry about their well-being. And the list goes on.

So, since worry is such an integral part of our lives the question is how do we deal with it?

First let's be clear that WORRY is a disabling faith. How? it makes the present poorer by borrowing from the future’s imagined troubles. (We talked about the meaning of FEAR in an earlier post – False Evidence Appearing Real). Then where is the question of trusting God? If we trust God implicitly, he will give us the grace and the means to face each day’s troubles as they come.

Our two bible passages today give us a very clear perspective on dealing with worry. Our first passage today is Jesus’ words on worry from his sermon on the mount. In these 10 verses Jesus is talking about true trust. Jesus is saying that if we trust God implicitly, we need not worry about necessary food, drink or clothing.

Worry and anxiousness have always been a perennial problem of humanity. And the root cause is – our arrogance and pride! We think we know all the answers and we are competent to provide all the solutions. Wrong. We know nothing. And that is why we sit and worry. 

Peter says – in VERSES 5 TO 7 - 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Humility, mutual submission and concern for the interest of others are the essence of Cristian love.

So, summing up, if we don’t trust the very person who can address our needs and solve all problems, simply because we are too proud to admit weakness and failure, the only thing left to do is to sit in a comer and worry.