I WORRY A LOT!

IF YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING THIS IS A

CONDITION THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY

FAMILIAR WITH.

 

PROBABLY YOU'VE READ BOOKS ON

THE SUBJECT, MAYBE EVEN GONE TO

A PSYCHIATRIST OR

PSYCHOLOGIST TO GET HELP.

 

MAYBE YOU'VE DEVELOPED SOME

TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES TO "GET

YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT".

 

SOME PEOPLE UNDERTAKE ANY

NUMBER OF NEW AGE THERAPIES IN

ORDER TO GET PEACE OF MIND.

 

But when we look into the Bible we are

able to see the how, when, where and

why of worry.

************

By the end of this paper, you will understand:

 

1. Where worry comes from

2. What causes worry

3. What worry actually is

4. What to do about it

*************

"Giving thanks always for all things unto

God and the Father in the name of our

Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20)

 

 

THE ORIGINAL BUNCH OF WORRIERS - WHO WERE THEY?

"But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust ...neither be ye idolators.... neither let us commit fornication ...neither let us tempt Christ ... neither murmur ye ...Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition..."

(1 Corinthians 10:5-8,1 Cor 10:9-11)

 

Moses led God's people out of Egypt and in what should have been at most a journey of two weeks, turned into a major excursion of forty years.

As soon as they were out of Egypt, they started complaining about lack of water, not enough food, too much food, not enough meat, too much meat, not enough fruit and vegetables as they had in Egypt like the leeks, garlic, melons and so it went on.

 

WHY DID THEY ACT LIKE THIS?

Put yourself in their place and you could imagine what it would be like. You're part of a race of people that had been enslaved for several generations and suddenly you find yourself thrust out into an inhospitable desert about to make a journey to the Promised Land that God had promised you.

 

After the initial euphoria has subsided you are suddenly faced with the necessities of living - like food, water, shelter and needing protection from surrounding warlike nations.

 

WHAT WAS GOD'S PURPOSE IN ALL OF THIS?

"... the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, TO HUMBLE THEE,

and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."(Deuteronomy 8:2)

 

There we have it! God's purpose was to humble them to determine what was in their hearts. And what was in their hearts? Murmuring, complaining, fear, idolatry, tempting, fornication, lust.

Of course when pushed they would still have said that they trusted God but were fearful that He couldn't look after their needs. Out of their fear came worry and out of their worry came all their other sins.

 

WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THEIR WORRY?

 

ANSWER:

FEAR THAT GOD COULDN'T PROVIDE

FOR THEM!

 

WHAT WAS THE RESULT?

God let them wander around in the desert

for forty years till a certain number of

them had died off.

 

NOW, WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF

YOUR WORRY?

WHY DO YOU WORRY SO MUCH?

WHY DOES WORRY GET OUT OF

CONTROL IN YOUR LIFE?

 

ANSWER: FEAR

It is the fear that you are on your own and that God couldn't possibly be looking after you. It is the fear that unless you take action to get this, get that job, make that money, get that promotion, have that house/ fire/ car/ personal/ dental/ hospital insurance, take that holiday, private education for the children, contribute to your superannuation etc. (and the list goes on), your life will go down the drain.

It is a fear that you won't have enough. It is the fear of what someone will do to you, it is a fear of heights, it is a fear of crowds, it is a fear of being alone.

Modern psychiatric manuals have literally hundreds of fears categorized and they are called phobias and neuroses.

 

WHAT IS BEHIND THE FEAR?

 

ANSWER: Lack - and that you won't get

what you want!

 

WHAT IS THE END RESULT OF WORRY?

 

Mental institutions are choc-o-block with people who worried and had break­downs.

Jails are full of people who worried and thought they'd take matters into their own hands.

Old People's Homes are overrun with old people who worry.

People who rent are worried that they'll never own their own home.

 

WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT FEAR AND WORRY?

The Bible says that worry is a sin "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

(Romans 14:23).

"For God hath not given us the spirit of

fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

(2 Timothy 1: 7)

 

WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT WORRYING?

The Bible says:

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you."

(1 Peter 4: 12)

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."(1 Peter 5:7)

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye maybe perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

(James 1:2-4)

... in thy presence is fulness of joy ..."

(Psalm 16:11)

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good ..."

(Genesis 50:20)

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings." (Philippians 2:14)

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again l say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

(Romans 8:28)

When we don't obey the above Scriptures we are sinning by disobeying God and we say to Him that we know better!

 

SUMMARY:

 

1. Worry comes from fear.

2. Fear comes from not trusting God.

3. Therefore worry is a sin because we don't trust that God can take care of us.

4. Anything that is not of faith is a sin therefore worry is sin.

5.Worry as a sin needs to be repented of before God.

6.Put into practice God's word about what He says to do with cares and worry.

 

NOW YOU MAY NOT BE A CHRISTIAN

 

If you're not a Christian because you have

not trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation,

you are doomed to helping yourself with

your worry problem e.g. Transcendental Meditation, Rosary beads, Buddhist retreats, alcohol to get relief, extra­marital affairs, more holidays and the list

just goes on and on and on.

 

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN

Why does God put you in situations?

You can take Deuteronomy 8:2 and apply it to yourself: "... the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, TO HUMBLE THEE, and to prove thee, TO KNOW WHAT WAS lN THlNE HEART, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."

 

Dear Christian, what's in your heart? God's in the humbling business and He will develop the fruits of the Spirit in you.

How quickly that happens is up to you.

All your huffing and puffing, groaning and moaning, fear and worry won't shift Him one inch. (By the way, there is such a thing as a prayer of unbelief whereby you just keep hammering God like He hasn't heard you. God can make you "tread water" for as long as He wants!)

By Harley Hitchcock

This website’s front page is:
www.AustralianBibleMinistries.com

 I FEEL A FAILURE 

(OR I really must do something

about my self-esteem!)

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