Devotion – Worry

Devotion for Princesses of the King 2014 Conference Brampton Ontario
Passage Matthew 6: 25 to 27
Tittle: WORRY
What Does the Bible Say About Worry?
Pastor Deborah Olukoju
Welcome to the world of worry. It is born with us, and we are born into it. We worry about everything, and anything. We even worry when there is nothing to worry about.
Let us define our subject. The dictionary says, “Worry  means to torment oneself or suffer from disturbing thoughts.The biblical definition of worry says’ “worrying is a form of torment usually self -inflicted. It is unusual excessive thoughts or anxieties of a current or future event and its outcome. To fret.Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 6:25 not to worry as it changes nothing and only adds stress and negative emotions. Other words for worry are be concerned, be anxious, agonize, overthink, brood, panic, lose sleep, get worked up, get in a state, stew, torment oneself.I am sure that we can all relate with one of these words. We worry about passing in school. We worry about getting a husband, we worry about having children, we worry about our husbands loving us, we worry about our in-laws, we worry about bills and expenses, we worry about our health, we worry about our looks, we worry about our weights, we worry about insurance, we worry about our minds being divided between our children and our husbands, worry, worry, worry.
We worry about the size of our body. We are too thin, we are too fat. We worry about first impressions, political correctness, identity issue, we worry about sickness. The question is, has worry answered any of our questions?
We still find ways to pay our bills, we still manage to pass our exams, we still manage to have children, we still manage to marry off our daughters, get wives for our sons, get along with our in-laws, our husbands still love us, we are still alive and well, and yet we are not pleased. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?
Many of us are on one pill or the other so that we are able to sleep at night. Many of us have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and many other disorders just because of worry.

Over the span of our lifetime, worrying accounts for hours and hours of invaluable time that we will never get back. So, the best thing for us is to come to terms with being at peace within ourselves. I believe not being at peace within ourselves is actually the real issue. Let us spend our time more wisely and more enjoyably .
1. Worrying Accomplishes Absolutely Nothing.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any time to waste these days. And worrying is a waste of very precious time. Worrying won’t help us solve any problem or bring about a solution, so why waste our time and energy on it? Has worry solved the last problem we had? So, why are we still worrying?

From Matthew 6:27-29, can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. (NLT)

2. Worrying is Not Good for You. Worrying is destructive to us in many ways. It becomes a mental burden that can even cause us to grow physically sick.
• Proverbs 12:25 says “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up”. (NLT)

3. Worrying is the opposite of Trusting God. The energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer. Here’s a little formula to remember: Worry replaced by Prayer equals Trust.
• Matthew 6:30 says “And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you”. Why do you have so little faith?  (NLT)
• In Philippians 4:6-7, the Bible says “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”. (NLT)

4. Worrying Puts Your Focus in the Wrong Direction.
When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember his love for us and we realize we truly have nothing to worry about. God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. Even in the difficult times, when it seems like God doesn’t care, we can put our trust in the Lord and focus on his kingdom. God will take care of our every need.
• Jesus in Matthew 6:25 says that is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? (NLT)
• Jesus in Matthew 6:31-33 makes it clear, So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (NLT)
• In 1 Peter 5:7 the Bible says “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you”. (NLT)
Those things we worry about are the stones we want the Lord to roll away for us. No human being on earth can roll away our stones. God can use human beings, and other chosen objects to roll away our stones, but we are not the ones to pick whom God will use. When we perceive worry in our minds, or in our system, the first thing to do is to run to God in prayer.  We must not run to a man or woman, but to God. A simple prayer can  work miracles. In 1 Samuel 4:3 we saw how the people of Israel approached the Ark of the Covenant to save them instead of God. Worry can perplex us, but it cannot overcome us once we know the One who is in charge of our lives. The irony of the whole matter is, God has solutions for everything that is causing us worry. Before the women got to the tomb, the stone had already been rolled away. Before we approach our challenges, God already has solution for us. But we must trust him, and move with His plan for our lives. We will finish the rest during the workshop time. 

God bless you!

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