Are you’re a worrier? Do you “sweat the small stuff” in life, or are you one of those who have learned not to worry about things? A wise person once said the only thing worry is guaranteed to do is shorten our life. Some of us might argue the opposite, saying that being anxious can lead us to take better care of ourselves and be more healthy. I tend to agree with the former – worry shortens life.
But we surely have much less to worry about than people of Jesus’ time. Just having enough to eat or being safe from harm were their major concerns. Today it is rare for people in developed countries to be without enough to eat, drink or wear. We rarely worry about food, clothing or safety, but that’s not all there is to worry about these days.
Today we can worry about paying our bills, mortgage, utilities, auto, school or medical payments. We might worry about the political direction of our nation. We may worry about our own or our child’s marriage. Commercials try to make us worry about not having enough funds for retirement. No matter who we are or how much we have, we can find cause for worry.
But Jesus urges us to trust Him. My mother often said, “Worry is concern without faith.” She meant we should be concerned about what we do and how much we have, but that we should give those concerns to Jesus.
I visited a man in the hospital who was gravely ill and given only a short time to live. After I prayed with him, he laid his hand on mine and said, “Don’t worry, Pastor. I’m okay because soon I’ll be with the Lord. But you look worried. Is everything okay with you?” And he listened as I poured out to him some minor trouble I was having. He died about a week later and after the funeral I got a lump in my throat thinking how he had ministered to me.
Life is a complex and wonderful thing God has given to us. We must value and cherish it, and help each other through the dark days of worry.
“Bear one another's burdens.” (Galatians 6:2)
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