Wouldn’t it be nice if we had no reason to worry? What If there was no evil, no danger, no lack of resources, no bills, no bad news, no disappointments, no sickness, no growing old, no poverty or homelessness, no thieves, liars, murderers, conflicts, or wars. If there was nothing to worry about, what would we do? Worry is our favorite pastime. It is what makes life interesting, right? In reality, worry is what ages us, weakens us, and robs us of peace and joy. Yet we welcome worry as a friend and look for it around every corner. Worry becomes habitual and dominates our days.
There will always be things to worry over. Like anything in life, we must make a choice. Choosing the things we will think about is the purpose of this blog. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing” and in verse eight gives us different focus choices. Instead of worry, think about these things. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”
I write this blog each week to help me, and anyone else who may read it, to practice choosing what we allow to influence our attitudes, emotions, well-being, frame of mind, perspective, world-view, and our spiritual and mental health. Instead of worry, think about things that are lovely. Instead of anxiety, think about things that are pure. Instead of fear, think about things that are true. Instead of distress, think about noble things.
Jesus tells us not to worry or fear. Giving ourselves some better occupation for our minds is seeking to be obedient to our Lord’s command.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6)
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)
I love the story in Matthew 8 where Jesus and his disciples are in a boat. A terrible storm catches them at sea. Distressed and afraid the disciples wake Jesus saying, “Lord save us!” Jesus speaks and the wind and waves subside, but not before He says to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” This story began like this. “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.” We know this story very well. When we follow Jesus, there may be storms ahead. We follow Him in faith and have nothing to fear. No worries.