Yoni Moorgan: The Problem of Worry. March 9, 2007

Blem ofKNU English Church
Yoni Moorgan
March 9, 2008

The Problem of Worry!

The word "worry" (Greek--merimna) means "anxiety, care, that which divides, distracts the mind and which draws a troubled person’s mind in different directions." Sometimes the word is used of a healthy and helpful concern and care (1 Corinthians 7:32,34; 12:25; 2 Cor. 11:28; Phil. 2:20), but it is also used of an unhealthy and harmful concern and care, which we call "WORRY."
People worry about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.
Matthew 6:31 Eat & drink
Matthew 6:34 Tomorrow
Matthew 10:19 What to say & how to say it
There are at least six reasons why we should never worry:

1) Worry is disobedience.
2) Worry is unbelief.
3) Worry is a form of atheism.
4) Worry can lead to physical problems.
5) Worry is illogical (senseless).
6) Worry can do no good.
Let’s take time to consider each of these:
1) Worry is Disobedience.
In Philippians 4:6, the Lord says, "Be Careful (full of cares and anxieties) for nothing" which means "worry about nothing" or "do not worry about one thing" or "stop worrying about everything." Therefore, whenever we worry about ANYTHING, we are DISOBEYING God’s command here in Philippians 4:6! When God tells us not to worry, He means it! God sees worry as SINFUL DISOBEDIENCE. Is that how we see it?
2) Worry is Unbelief.
The Lord Jesus gave some important instructions about "WORRY" in Matthew 6:25-34. In this passage, what verse clearly indicates that worry is UNBELIEF? The person who is troubled with worries and cares is really saying, "I DO NOT BELIEVE that God loves me and cares for me and is able to take care of my problems!" Worry and trust cannot live together in the same house. As long as trust abides, worry can never enter. When worry comes in, trust has already left! Worry starts where faith ends.
3) Worry is a Form of Atheism.
The atheist says, "There Is No God” Psalm 14:1). The person who worries is really saying, "THERE IS NO GOD who can handle my problems and take care of my life and my future." The one who worries, as well as the atheist, is a Fool (Psalm 14:1).
4) Worry Can Lead to Physical Problems.
Stomach ulcers and other physical problems can often result from needless worry and anxiety. Not only is worry spiritually unhealthy, but it is also physically unhealthy. Worry can never help us, but it can harm us.
5) Worry is Illogical (Senseless).
Worry makes no sense. In Matthew 6:25-26, the Lord Jesus illustrated how ILLOGICAL worry really is. Let’s look first at verse 25:
Take No Thought (do not be anxious, do not be worried) for your LIFE, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your BODY, what you shall put on (Matthew 6:25a).
The Lord Jesus then asked, "Is not the life more than meat (food, nourishment)?" What is the answer to this question? YES. "Is not the BODY more than raiment (clothing)?" What is the answer? YES
Which is greater (more important), the life that God has given to you or the food that God has given to you? Would you rather have your LIFE or would you rather have a HAMBURGER? Can you survive without a hamburger? Can you survive without your life?
If God has given you life (which is the greater gift), will He not also give you the food and drink that supports life (which are the lesser gifts)? The worried person is really saying, "The God who gave me LIFE is unable to give me FOOD and DRINK." Does that make sense?
Which is greater, the body that God has given to you or the clothes that God has given to you? Would you rather have your BODY or would you rather have a SUIT or a DRESS? Can you survive without a suit or a dress? Can you survive without your body? If God has given you a body (which is the greater gift), will He not also give you clothes that cover the body (which are the lesser gifts)? The worried person is really saying, "The God who gave me my BODY is unable to give me CLOTHES to cover it." Does that make sense?


Illustrations: Suppose a father gave his child an expensive battery operated toy as a birthday present. Do you think this father would also supply batteries to go with it? Suppose a father goes to all the trouble of constructing a basketball court (with hoops and everything) in the backyard for his son. Do you think he would also supply a basketball to go with it? When Mom cooks supper, does she also supply all the plates, glasses and silverware to go with it? If God has given us a life and a body, will He also supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19)?
Now consider verse 26 (Matthew 6): "Behold the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them." Again Jesus asked a question: "Are you not much better than they?" Which are more important and valuable to God, birds or men (Matthew 10:31)? If God feeds and cares for birds (which are of lesser value), will He not feed and care for men (which are of greater value)? If a mother feeds and cares for the family pet, will she not do the same for the family children? If a father takes good care of the family car (feeds it with gas, keeps it clean and polished), will he not do the same and much more for his children? The worried person is really saying, "The birds are of more value to God than me!" Does that make sense?
6) Worry Can Do No Good.
Worry has never been able to help anyone. Worry has never accomplished anything. Worry has never solved even one problem. Worry can look at problems but it can never solve problems. Worry does absolutely no good. The Lord Jesus said it this way, "Which of you by worrying (by being anxious, by worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature?" (Matthew 6:27).
The word translated "stature" is used in two different ways. It often means "age" (John 9:21,23; Hebrews 11:11), but it can also mean "stature" (how tall a person is)--(see Luke 19:3).
LIFE IS SHORT!
DEATH IS SURE!
SIN THE CAUSE !
CHRIST THE CURE!
WORRY CAN DO NO GOOD!!!
1 )What Should I Do Today, WORRY or WORK?
"Do not worry, therefore, about tomorrow: for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough evil (trouble, problems) of its own" (Matthew 6:34; translated from the Greek).

Worry is concern and anxiety over the future. We worry about what might happen tomorrow. Do we know what will really happen tomorrow (James 4:14; Proverbs 27:1)? Who does know what will take place tomorrow (Isaiah 46:9-10; compare Mark 13:23; John 14:29; 16:3-4.)? We do not know what the future holds, but we know WHO holds the future!
Today’s cares are ENOUGH! How foolish to ADD tomorrow’s cares to those of today! Tackle today’s troubles, and let tomorrow take care of itself. The Lord does not give us strength to face tomorrow’s problems today. He gives us strength to face today’s problems today (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Philippians 4:13; Colossians 1:11). The burden of tomorrow’s cares added to the load of today’s trouble is too much for anyone to bear. According to Matthew 6:34 we must put all of our strength and energy and resources into solving today’s problems. If we WORK on tackling today’s troubles then we will not have time to WORRY about tomorrow’s troubles.
2) Casting My Cares on the Christ Who Cares

"Casting all your cares (worry, anxiety) upon Him; for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

1. What must I do with my care and worry (1 Pet. 5:7)? The word "casting" means "to throw something upon something else." In 1 Peter 5:7 the believer is to throw their cares upon Christ.

2. How much of my care and worry should I throw upon the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7)? ________
Imagine if you could hire one of your friends to do all of your worrying for you! It would be wonderful if they could handle all of your cares. Whenever a problem or difficulty should arise, all you would need to do is tell them about it, and they would worry about it for you! You would not have to worry about it at all! That would be their business. You would then be free to live as if you did not have a care or worry in the world! You have thrown all your care on another person. You do not even need to worry about how much money you should pay your friend for doing all your worrying for you. That is their worry! (Jay E. Adams, You Can Stop Worrying, p.3).
The Lord will not do your worrying for you, because GOD NEVER WORRIES about anything! Yet the Lord tells you to throw all your care upon Him. If you give your cares to the Lord and leave them with Him, then you will be free from worry! Let God carry your cares.
3. Why should you decide to throw your care and worry upon the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7)?
God cares about you! God is concerned about you. It matters to God about you. It is a concern to Him about you. He ever cares and He never stops caring about you. HE CARES FOR YOU!
Does God care for birds (Matt. 6:26)?
Does God care for lilies (Matt. 6:28)?
Does God care for sheep (Matt. 12:11-12)?
Does God care for oxen (1 Corinthians 9:9-10)?
Does God care for sparrows ((Matt. 10:29-31)?
IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE . . .
Matthew 6:26: "Are you not much better than they?"
Matthew 12:12: "How much then is a man better than these?"
Matthew 10:31: "Are you not of more value than they?"
DOES GOD CARE FOR YOU ?
Which would cause you the most concern and which would you care about the most? Losing 500 won or losing 10,000 wonl? Which is of more value? If a person is concerned about losing 500 won , will they not be much more concerned about losing something of greater value?
God’s Loving Care
Animals die all the time and we usually think nothing of it. Often we see dead animals by the side of the road, and we pay little attention to them. We do not place a great value and importance upon sparrows, but THE CREATOR DOES! Matthew 10:29 says that not one sparrow will ever fall on the ground without the knowledge and consent (permission) and concern of God the Father. Sparrows are important to God! He created them! Who is much more important to the Lord (Matthew 10:31)? If God watches over sparrows, will He not much more take care of your living and dying?
"But the very hairs of your head are numbered" (Matthew 10:30). On the average, the human head has about 140,000 hairs. If you do not believe this, count them for yourself! The Lord knows exactly how many hairs there are on your head! If you were to lose one hair (and several fall off each day), you would think nothing of it! But is God mindful of that hair? Who is more concerned about that hair, you or God? Who is more concerned about the PERSON who lost the hair, you or God? Does God care about you more than you care about yourself? If one of your hairs is important to God, are not you as a PERSON much more important to Him? If God cares about the hairs that you have, do you think He cares about the problems that you have? If He is concerned about your HAIRS, is He not much more concerned about your CARES? Then, why worry?
If we would only believe that GOD CARES, then we would be free from worry. Believers often worry because they foolishly think the Lord does not care. Did the worried disciples think the Lord cared for them (Mark 4:38)? What was their real problem (Mark 4:40)? They had no faith.
3) Why Worry When You Can Pray?

"Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD" (Philippians 4:6).
In this important verse, the Lord first tells us what we must not do, and then He tells us something that we must do:
(1) We Must Not Worry
The believer is not to be CAREFUL (full of worry and care).
Today this word is used in a good sense, and it means "to exercise a healthy care and concern, to be cautious." Example: Young people (and older people) should he very careful about what kind of thoughts find their home in the mind (Phil. 4:8; Phil. 3:l9; Proverbs 23:7; Col. 3:1-2).
The believer is not to be CARELESS (without concern and caution, not thinking or watching what you say or do).
The believer must be CAREFREE (free from worry and unhealthy care).
Philippians 4:6 is a command: "Be worrying about nothing!" In other words, we should not worry at all. To worry about NOTHING means to stop worrying about EVERYTHING!
2) We Must Let Our Requests Be Made Known
Don’t worry, but pray! Let God know about your problems and your needs. Does the Lord already know about these things (Matt. 6:8)? Does He want you to ask Him (Matt. 7:7)? He knows before you ask, but He wants you to ask! He wants you to ask Him to take care of whatever you were worried about.
HOW (in what way) should my requests be made known? Our verse (Philippians 4:6) tells us five ways this is to be done:
1. In Everything
I must worry about nothing, but I must pray about everything. In every situation and circumstance of life I can let my requests be made known. In every problem and difficulty I face, I can ask God to work it out. Prayer can be applied to any problem and to any and every situation.
2. Unto God
Our requests (those things that we ask for) are to be sent in a GODWARD DIRECTION. We must send our requests towards the ONE who can really do something about them. In the middle of our troubles, where can we look for help (Psalm 121:1-2; 124:8)?
If we look in the wrong direction, then we are in trouble. If I look at my broken watch, then I will get all worried. If I look toward the watchmaker who can fix it, then I can relax because I know my watch is in good hands. Should a person look at his broken leg or should he look in the direction of the Doctor?
3. By Prayer
How can I let my requests be made known? Philippians 4:6 says, BY PRAYER! This word "prayer" is used many times in the New Testament (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 6:4; 10:4; 12:5; Rom. 1:9; 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2,12; 1 Tim. 2:1; 5:5; etc.) and it always means "prayer TO GOD." When a believer prays, they must COME TO GOD, and the person who comes to God "must BELIEVE that He exists" (Hebrews 11:6). Often we pray and we fall to realize WHO IT IS that we are praying to! PRAYER should make a believer GOD-CONSCIOUS and GOD-DEPENDENT:
GOD-CONSCIOUS:
Very Conscious of Who God Is.
Keenly Aware of the Almighty One We Are Praying To.
Deeply Sensitive to God’s Person, Power and Presence.
GOD-DEPENDENT:
I am unable. He is able!
I cannot. He can!
I do not understand. He does!
I am weak. He is strong!
I cannot solve my problems. God has the solution!
4. By Supplication
I must also let my requests be made known BY SUPPLICATION. This word "supplication" involves a person’s NEED. A person with problems has some very real needs. A prayer of supplication is a specific prayer for a specific need. The believer must tell God exactly what his problem is (BE SPECIFIC!). What really is the problem? What is it that you have been worrying about? The Lord wants you to recognize your particular need. When you let your requests be made known to God, BE SPECIFIC! Tell the Lord exactly what is troubling your heart.
5) With Thanksgiving
Prayer without thanksgiving is like a bird without wings; it can never rise to heaven. The giving of thanks is an expression of FAITH. God is able to take care of my problem and He is able to work out whatever I was worried about. I believe this, and therefore I say, "Thank You!" When I really say "Thank You" from my heart, then I really believe that God will work out my problem for His glory and for my good (Romans 8:28).
The cure for worry is PRAYER.