Worry

As we talk about worry I’m reminded of an interesting Time magazine article I once read on the presence of worry in America, written back in March 1961. The point of the study was this. The breakdown of faith in God and in reason, coupled with the accelerated pace and high tension of modern life, has produced intense anxiety in many millions of people; so much so, in fact, that it’s correct to call worry one of the most widespread and debilitating characteristics of our time.

Christians, you see, are not to be anxious or worried about anything. We worry, that’s true, but we do not need to. Moreover, we should not worry. For worry can effectively stifle the Christian life and ruin one’s witness.

Now what are these three teachings? Well, the first concerns the proper attitude of a Christian toward money. Oh that’s important because so many of our worries have to do with material things. In that section of the Sermon Jesus taught that the love of money is harmful because it is impossible for a person to serve God and money at the same time. Then he added that, for the same reason, His followers should not be anxious about some future happening or provision. We cannot serve God and worry about anything, including money, at the same time.

The final reason not to worry which Jesus gave is one that appeals to experience. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (v. 33). In other words, make it your business to seek God’s interests and follow His way, and you’ll see that all your physical needs will be met effortlessly and without any need for you to take thought about them.

At this point someone may be saying, “I can see from the reasons you’ve been giving that I should not worry, but still I do worry. Is there an answer? What is the solution for me personally?” I believe the answer to this question is a simple one.