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| Not
Worth The Worry |
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| Bubba Garner |
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Though
it changes frequently, David’s favorite movie right now is The Lion
King. That’s the one that features the song “Hakuna Matata,” which
the lyrics translate “means no worries for the rest of your days.” No
worries. Wouldn’t that be nice? But we live in what is commonly called
the Age of Anxiety, where “no worries” seems like an impossibility.
Apparently, the problem of
worry is not unique to our generation or Jesus never would have devoted
such a large section to this subject in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt.
6:25-34). And in the Parable of the Sower, He identified “the worries of
the world” (Mark 4:19) as thorns that grow up along side the seed and
eventually choke out its life.
But before we are too quick
to sympathize with Jesus’ audience, notice what things they were worried
about. “What will we eat?” and “What will we drink?” and “What
will we wear for clothing?” (Matt. 6:31). They were anxious about where
their next meal would come from and whether or not they would have clothes
to put on the backs of their children. If Jesus had to get on them for
worrying about the necessities of life, what do you think He would say to
us about the things that occupy and distract our minds?
I offer these reasons as to
why worry is, in fact, not worth the worry.
Worry sets your mind on the
world. Jesus introduced this topic after saying that you “cannot serve
God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). That makes for an easy transition to
worry, because the devil doesn’t care if your mind is carried away by
riches or by anxiety, just so long as it is carried away from God. We are
quick to see that we can lose our soul because of greed. But the same
sermon warns about the dangers of anxious care. Either way, you’re
setting your mind on things below and not on things above.
“Do not be anxious…but
seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:25,Matt. 6:33). If you want
assurance of provision, you don’t seek things, you seek God. When you
secure your relationship with Him, making spiritual sustenance your
priority, He will provide the daily bread. It’s amazing what happens to
the worries of the world when you focus first on the kingdom of God.
Worry won’t let you live
by faith. Worrying about food, drink, and clothing are things that the “Gentiles
eagerly seek” (Matt. 6:32). Jesus called them “men of little faith”
(Matt. 6:30), because they acted like the Lord didn’t know or didn’t
care what their needs were. They were in covenant relationship with God
but were demonstrating less faith than those who didn’t know Him at all.
Consider the sparrows, five
of which were sold for two cents. “And yet not one of them is forgotten
before God” (Luke 12:6). If the smallest and humblest of God’s
creatures are given such rich provision, what will He do for the pinnacle
of His creation, for those who have been made in His image? And what about
the lilies of the field, generally used for kindling? If the God of heaven
has tended to the flowers whose life is but a breath and a sigh, will He
not clothe with righteousness those whose destiny is eternal life? Surely
a God who has given Jesus to satisfy our spiritual needs has the strength
to handle the everyday problems that come our way. You cannot serve God
and mammon. Neither can you live by faith and worry.
Worry is worthless. Having
worried and fretted about something, what good does it accomplish? What
has it changed? Anxiety is a useless endeavor. “Who of you by being
worried can add a single hour to his life” (Matt. 6:27)? Worry doesn’t
lengthen life, it tends to shorten it. You can “worry yourself sick”
for sure. But what about the tragedy of stressing over things that may
never happen while missing what is happening right in front of you?
Our time here is short
enough as it is, a “vapor that appears for a little while and then
vanishes away” (James 4:14). That vapor is often abbreviated even more
when what little time we do have is wasted away with worthless worry. If
you can do something about it, then do it. If it is out of your hands,
turn it over to God. Life is still under His control. He can add length to
your days and promises a place where there is no more night. That’ll be
worth it.
“No worries for the rest
of your rest of your days.” Maybe that’s not just for fantasies and
fairy tales after all.
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Copyright (C)
2008
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
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