God's Solution to WorryThere are very few of us who don't seem to have something about which to worry! We worry about our families and their individual concerns, their careers, their education and their health. We worry about our finances, our employment, our health, our future, and some of us even worry about our appearances. The question for Christ followers, as I see it, is why should we worry when we should trust our God? We will discuss that issue on this page.Worry really does not change anything. Most of the time we spend in worrying is a waste of time. Most of the stuff never happens, and the energy we use is better spent on other things. Yet, there may be many items in our lives over which we need to be concerned. That is a whole different situation and emotion. It is good to be concerned. Being concerned is positive. It focuses us on the matter at hand and helps us encounter it. It helps us to plan for attacking the matter and for developing strategies for solving the issue. It clarifies rather than blurs our vision as we develop ways to address the situation. It enables us to persevere through the problem towards the goal of solving it. Finally, worry will focus us on ourselves, while concern focuses us on God. What does the Bible have to say about this issue? Let's take a look at a few verses found in Philippians, the fourth chapter, verses 6, 7. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding , will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This verse is the antidote for worry. It says don't worry about anything! Submit everything to God in prayer. Ask God to take care of the problems we face. Pray, thank God for the blessings we do have. Thank God also for the trials and problems that come our way. James says to “count it all joy when you come into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith works patience.” It goes on to say that patience will produce perfection or maturity in our lives. If we do our part, submit our anxieties to God, he will give us the peace we need to overcome those anxieties. God's peace is greater than any other emotion we can experience. There is an unmeasurable calmness, a rest so complete we can't even understand it. And then, the verse says that the Lord takes over and guards our hearts and minds---our emotions and our cognition. To guard means to protect, to not allow an enemy to invade and harm something. Grab the importance of what this verse is saying to us. “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you” (I Peter 5: 6,7). Here is another urging for us to cast our cares on him. Why do we insist on carrying them ourselves when he is able and willing to take them and care for us in his own personal and miraculous way? Do realize, however, that we need to humble ourselves under his mighty hand. That means that we need to give up on ourselves, be willing to admit that we are nothing and he is everything and give all over to him. We need to step aside so he can step inside. Another verse saying about the same thing is Psalm 55:22. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” The word, sustain, carries with it the meaning to feed, maintain, support and nourish. God will take care of us as we cast our burdens on him. We do have a lot of burdens we carry as we go through this life. We are invited to throw them on the Lord's shoulders, and he will carry them for us. What a relief, when we can do that!
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