Worry is one thing we all do. Whether it’s for our health, our children or our future, worry is one thing that plagues us all. But why do we worry? Can we stop worrying? First, we must define worry. Webster’s Dictionary defines worry as Give way to anxiety or unease; allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.”he worried about his soldier sons in the war” Worry comes from an Old English word that means “to strangle” The biblical definition of worry is a combination of two Greek words: 1. Merimnao, which means Anxious 2. Merizo (To divide) +Nous (The Mind) What do these definitions have in common? Worry is about dividing our mind, or dwelling on things, to such a point they effect us mentally, spiritually, emotionally. The Problem with Worry Worry affects us physically, spiritually and emotionally. From a biblical standpoint, this is in direct violation of what Jesus commands us to do: 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40 Our love for God must be all encompassing. Our love for God must be Physical (Mind), Emotional (Heart) and Spiritual (Soul). If we are deepening our relationship with God and using all of our faculties to learn who God is and grow toward Him, then we are using our whole being to go into relationship with Him. Where are we directed when we worry? Inward. We begin the slow trek to a dark place inside where we attempt to use our own strength to handle a situation in our own power. We forget the source of our strength. In order to defeat worry we must make some very important steps away from our own strength and toward God’s. These 4 Paradigm shifts are essential for us to learn about worry and resource the strength back to where it should be: in our relationship with God and our trust in His provision. PARADIGM SHIFT 1 Defeating Worry is a physical, emotional and spiritual fight. Why is worry bad for us? Because worry effects us physically. Some of the physical signs of worry are: Stomach pain Nausea Digestive trouble Sleep issues Breathing issues Heart rate issues Trembling/shaking Continual worrying/anxiety can shorten our lifespan. In one study from Cambridge University, they found these results: In total, 1066 (2.1%) people with anxiety disorders died during an average follow-up of 9.7 years. The risk of death by natural and unnatural causes was significantly higher among individuals with anxiety disorders (natural mortality rate ratio (MRR) = 1.39, 95% CI 1.28–1.51; unnatural MRR= 2.46, 95% CI 2.20–2.73) compared with the general population. Of those who died from unnatural causes, 16.5% had comorbid diagnoses of depression (MRR = 11.72, 95% CI 10.11–13.51). Worrying and anxiety are real issues many of us deal with, and excessively worrying affects not only our overall health but our quality of life. If we are constantly worried about any variety of things, we do ourself a disservice by giving whatever we are afraid of power over us. Worry effects us emotionally Some of the side effects of emotional issues are: Lack of interest in relationships Depression Withdrawal Hopelessness Lack of clarity Doubts Continual worrying/anxiety can develop into unhealthy emotional patterns. These emotional patterns always drive us away from others. If our job as Christians are to be in the world and not of the world, if it is to bring the gospel to others and administer to those who need to hear the good news, then the emotion toll of worry can bring us to a place of not administering to others. Worry effects us spiritually Some of the side effects of spiritual issues are: Can cause doubt in faith Can cause drift Can cause withdrawal from other believers Hopelessness Dependence on salves (things that numb the pain) Continual worrying/anxiety can affect spiritual walk. It can drive us away from other believers and isolate us from the light of God. It causes us to doubt the truth and begin to believe lies. What is the source of our strength? The source of our strength begins in John 15: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. In this powerful passage, we discover some amazing things about the nature of God and how we interact with Him: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. God takes care of us. He refines us. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. God has chosen us. His word sustains us. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. We cannot live in His will outside the relationship. When we worry, we are taking a step away from the relationship John 15:5-8: 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. The relationship is everything. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If we aren’t in relationship, we are not productive for God 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. God wants to take care of us and have us do His will in this world PARADIGM SHIFT 2: Our deep dependence on God is defense against worry. How do we approach worry? When worry edges into our life… Do we go to prayer first? Do we consult God? Do we try to see from an eternal mindset or a temporal mindset? Worry wants to divide our mind; it wants to take our eyes off the truth Is worry the truth? Worry is fear Worry is fear of “what if” “What if” is our projected fear, not truth When we indulge in mistruth, we corrupt our thinking Worry is Fear. If that fear is allowed to grow, it can lead us into anxiety. Anxiety will ultimately paralyze us. Worry leads us to a normalization of untruth. Untruth is what Satan wants: He wants to lead you down a path of mistruth until you don’t understand the truth Once you don’t understand the truth, then you are susceptible to all sorts of mistruth 2 Timothy 4:3-4 say this: 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. When we indulge in mistruth, it blurs what truth really is. It sends us on a path away from the truth, and if we stay on that path too long, truth may not be attainable any longer. Whatever we feed will get stronger. Paralysis is what Satan wants: Satan doesn’t need to make people evil Satan just needs to get people off the path Once someone is off the path, then they will tend to wander farther James 4:17 says this: 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. Paralysis does this to good men and women. It brings them to a place of ineffectiveness. If we are ineffective in standing up for God and our faith, then Satan has essentially won. PARADIGM SHIFT 3: Worrying opens a door for Satan to operate in our life. Worrying is about control We deal with a plethora of trials, circumstances and situations. Deep down, on a certain base level, we know we have no control over most situations. Since we are control freaks of the highest order, we look for a way to control the uncontrollable. We do this by worrying. By worrying, we feel we have control of the situation, if only by consuming it, mulling over it, pondering and fretting about it. But does worrying control the situation? Luke 10:38-42: 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” In this story, Jesus is invited into the home of Martha. Martha is receive to Christ. But as we get further along in the story, we see that Martha is “distracted” by all the chores of getting the house ready. She finally lashes out against her sister, who has chosen to listen to Jesus’ teachings. What is Christ’s response? “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed- or indeed only one.” What is Christ saying? Martha has her priorities wrong while Mary has hers right. The one thing needed is faith. Everything else is unnecessary. When we try to lay control over something we are trying to bend it to our will. Why? Well, many times it is so that our comfort isn’t affected. If we hold this long enough we will suffocate. We will actively be working against dependency. God doesn’t want us to try to control our outcomes; He wants us to depend on his provision, mercy and grace PARADIGM SHIFT 4: Worrying is about control. How to deal with worry biblically Luke 12:22-34 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear… Don’t worry about your earthly needs Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! This is faith that God will provide for us Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Worrying changes nothing 27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! God takes care of all his creation; We forget that God has promised provision And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. Do not be like the world; God knows what we need But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. We are to seek the relationship and God will provide for us 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. God desires to take care of us 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Think eternally; Do God’s work; remember your place in Heaven 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We are a product of our foundation Remember that god is actively working in your life He wants you fully engaged He’s eager for relationship He’s wants to develop you He wants your attention God’s plan for you John 14:1-4 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus will prepare a place for us Jesus will come for us The goal is for us to be with Him When we put these promises up against worry, we can begin to build strength in believing in God’s promises and putting less time, energy and focus into the “what if” of worry. Remember, Satan wants to distract you and worry is one way he takes you down a road of distraction. Focus on the promises and life, and truth, will become clearer. Copyright 2024 , P. Nerat, All Rights reserved