"A Prescription for Worry"
Recently I read the following quotes about the subject of
worrying.
“Worrying about something that may never happen is like paying
interest on money that you may never borrow”
“Worry is as useless as a handle on a snowball”
“Why worry? Half of what we worry about never happens and the
other is going to happen regardless. So, why worry?”
“It ain't no use putting up your umbrella till it rains.”
Regardless of what these quotes may tell us – the fact is - we worry.
We worry about our job, we worry about our kids, about our finances –
you name it and we can, will, or have worried about it. Worry seems to
be an everyday aspect of life. For the person that says they haven’t
worried at least once in their life – I would be apt to check and see if
they have a pulse!
But God has a prescription for worry and He described it in his word,
the Bible.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him,
because He cares for you. I Peter 5: 6-7
Within these two verses we find at least three truths. Firstly, when
it comes to worry we are to cast that worry – or anxiety as it is
described here – upon Him. The original Greek language tells us in this
verse that ALL worry should be cast upon Him, yesterday’s, today’s, and
tomorrow’s. The word casting is actually a picture of throwing garments
on the top of a beast of burden, probably a mule. The idea behind
casting is that it only comes back if we draw it back, if we bring it
back from where we cast it.
Secondly, we cast these cares after we have humbled ourselves
(V.6). Notice, the verse says that we are to humble ourselves under the
hand of God. When we humble ourselves before God we do two things. We
recognize that we can’t solve our problems. We also recognize God for
who He is – sovereign and sufficient to handle any problem, anxiety, or
worry that comes His (and our) way. In short we realize that He is God -
and we aren’t. That makes the casting part easier when we realize that
One that we are casting it too can take care of it.
Thirdly, we understand why we can cast our cares upon God.
Verse 7 tells us why. Because God cares for us. Life seems to get so
busy sometimes and our life situations seem to overwhelm sometimes to
the point that we can forget that there is a loving God who cares for
us. Can you remember a time when God showed His care for you? He was
the same God then that He is now.
Do you worry? Think on this prescription for worry remembering that
we are to be active in dealing with our worry; we are to recognize that
God is sovereign over all of life, and that He cares for us. See what
God has for you the next time you are tempted to worry.
