Worry is unscriptural

We have the notion that things can give us peace, but in reality they create worry. Do you remember the thrill of your first car? You could not rest until your name was on the Bill of Sale. Then you discovered the headache of taking care of your car and meeting the payments.

King Solomon said, “People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night’s sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:12 NLT).

Christ told a parable in Luke 12:13-21 and followed it with a sermon on worry. The poor think the rich never worry, yet the rich have worries that the poor never dream of.

Whether rich or poor, if we find ourselves worrying, it is a sign that we have the wrong attitude toward things. “What shall I do?” is the anxious cry of the person who lives for material things.

 Worry is unreasonable (Luke 12:23). Life is more than food and clothing. To worry about things is to neglect the important — life itself.

Worry is unnatural (Luke 12:24, 27).  The birds of the air and the lilies of the field do not worry. Why? Because all of nature knows the father will meet their needs. The father does not forget the sparrow (Luke 12:6).

Another thing about worry is that it is unavailing (Luke 12:25-26). Worry cannot make you live longer. In fact, it does the opposite. Worry will shorten your life. Jesus says since worry does not accomplish any good, why worry?

Worry is unnecessary (Luke 12:28).  The fact that the father takes care of us does not mean we should be  careless or complacent, or that we should expect the father to do for us what we must do for ourselves.  But it means that he cares for us, because we are valuable to him.  If he cares for the grass, the flowers, the birds, then surely he will care for his children.

Jesus says that worry is unscriptural (Luke 12:29-30). The unbelievers of the world have a right to worry, but Christians are different from them. Christians have a heavenly father who cares for them, so any worrying is an evidence of unbelief and a poor witness to the world.

What is the cure for worry? We need to stop living for things and start living for God.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and these things will be given  to you as well” (Luke 12:31). Nothing simplifies life like putting God first and getting our priorities straight.

 If the abundance of or the lack of things rob us of peace, then we are not wholly yielded to God. The answer to worry is found in God.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we are sheep in God’s flock, children in God’s family and citizens in God’s kingdom. The shepherd cares for his sheep. The father provides for his children.  The King sees to the concerns of his subjects. God is our shepherd, our heavenly father and heavenly king. God promises to provide for our needs.