Do You Worry?

Seneca, a Roman political figure living during the time of Christ, once said, "It is indeed foolish to be unhappy now because you may be unhappy at some future time." The sin of worry is one that is indulged in by most Christians today, it being brushed aside as, maybe a flaw, but certainly "nothing to be worried about." Worry is indeed a sin, just as lying, stealing, or adultery. Since it is a sin, we need to understand how the Bible tells us to deal with it. Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, gives us three steps to help us deal with situations that, if dealt with improperly, would cause us to worry and fret.

The first, and most obvious, step is to Pray. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God." To be "careful" is to be anxious about a situation, i.e., full of worry. We are to be careful for nothing, not even one thing! We are to be in prayer about "everything"! When we pray, we are acknowledging that God is in control, and we are committing our ways unto Him. Our prayers ought to be exact, expressly stating what it is that concerns us. The Psalmist tells us to cast our burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain us (Psalm 55:22). What particular petition do you have to bring before the Lord? With that petition, we are to include our gratitude--"with thanksgiving." We should thank the Lord for trials and temptations that come our way, for it is through these that we are refined; it is through these that we learn to trust even more on the Lord. This first step is so important, but many times neglected, or accomplished improperly as we throw out a generalized prayer about our needs. When we faithfully bring our burdens before the Lord, the result is that the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [protect] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

Next, Paul tells is to Ponder. Philippians 4:8 instructs us to think upon things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. It is not enough just to pray, but we need to control our thought-life! This will take some discrimination on our part. We need to recognize what is going on. What is it that you are worrying about? Do you know for a fact that it will happen, or has happened (is it true?)? Are the things you are thinking about worthy of respect? are they right? are they clean? are they lovely? are they well-spoken of? We are to cast down imaginations, and anything that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Take control of your thoughts, and bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ! You need to be decisive about this. Paul says, "Think on these things." You must make that choice.

Lastly, we are to Practice. Paul continues in verse 9 and says, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do..." The word "do" refers to performing something repeatedly and habitually. The reason behind this is that we cannot change tomorrow. We have today to obey God, and we may not know what we are to do in the future when, and if, we ever encounter the situation about which we are worrying. But we do have knowledge about how to live today. We are not responsible for tomorrow; we are responsible for today! Jesus said, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22), and so we must use those mercies for the troubles of today, NOT tomorrow!

When we use the resources God gives to us today, in order to obey Him today, "the God of peace shall be with" us! When we pray, we enjoy the peace of God, which is wonderful. But when we pray, ponder, and practice, the very God of peace is with us! What greater peace could we have in the midst of situations that would otherwise fill us with anxiousness? Which would you rather have? Would you be full of anxiety and care over things that you have no control, or would you be full of the peace of God and enjoy His presence in whose hands is your very life? It really is no choice at all.

AFTER THE PREACHING ENDS

Preaching is important. Paul tells us in Romans 10:14 that there needs to be a preacher in order for people to hear the gospel and believe. Unbelievers consider preaching to be foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18), but it is God's ordained means of spreading the gospel. 1 Corinthians 1:21, "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Preaching, though, is not just meant for unbelievers. As believers, we need to understand the importance of preaching, and we need to respond appropriately to it.

Hebrews 4:2 reminds us, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." The phrase "the word preached," is referencing not just the message being proclaimed, but also the message being heard. When God's people heard the word, it was of no benefit to them because it was not "mixed with faith," i.e. it was not put into practice. Preaching is meant to be profitable in your life; it is meant to make a positive change in your life. The same word translated as "profit" in this verse is used in Mark 5:25-26, "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, {26} And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse." It was not that she was not feeling better, or didn't possess a better view of herself, or was not confident about her situation. Mark was telling us that her physical condition had not improved at all. Preaching, like good medicine, is to be a spiritual benefit to us, as medicine is to be a physical benefit.

Consider how medicine is profitable to you. Is it profitable if you are convinced it is the right medicine for your situation? Is it profitable because it has helped so many other people with the same malady, or maybe even those of your own household? Obviously, the answer is NO to all of these. The medicine is profitable when you actually take it as prescribed. Apply that to preaching. When is it profitable to you? What do you do with it? Do you rejoice that it has helped so many others? Do you realize that it is what you need? Do you rejoice that it can solve your problems? OR, do you "mix it with faith"? Do you take it? Do you obey? Do you practice it? If not, you are in the same predicament that the disobedient Israelites were.

Reflect upon God's word: James tells us to "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" James 1:21. He reminds us that "...whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:25). Jesus told us in John 13:17, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

There is a wonderful phrase used to describe both Noah's and Moses' obedience to the commands of God: "Thus did..." Gen 6:22, "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." Exo 40:16, "Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he." Thus did! If someone was writing a story about your life this past week, beginning with the preaching that you heard on Sunday, after recounting the message that was preached, would he write, "Thus did [put your name here], according to all that God commanded, so did he!"? If not, start practicing it today, and change how the story would end!

There is great reward in keeping God's word, both now (Psalm 19:11), and in the future (Revelation 22:14). When God speaks through the preaching of His Word, what do you do? When the preaching ends, and you know that God has dealt with your heart, what is your response? "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22).