Go On Worry, Prove It Doesn’t Work – Part Four

We all go through tough hard times, and we’re subjected to pain and suffering in our lives. Such is no time to just whistle in the dark. It takes faith, industrial strength faith, to deal with it. It can be so easy to just give in to feelings of worry and negativity. What’s going to happen next?

For a Christian, however, there is hope in a Savior that cares for us.  He gives us strength in hard times, and he wants us to look to Him in prayer when our circumstances start to overwhelm us.

Jesus stands ready to aid His followers in overcoming worry, and it’s big brother anxiety. The touchstone was identified for us:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Worry is the only sin about which we brag. “I worried so I couldn’t sleep.” Or, “I was so worried I couldn’t eat..”

Worry is like a soft bed, it is easy to get into and hard to get out of. 

Once a positive or negative pattern of thought is established, and this is often done early in life, it becomes instinctive to maintain it.

Worry can be learned from an example. The child of a parent who perpetually worries tends to develop into a person who worries.  Worry isn’t a disease, but it can contribute to developing a disease or physical disorder. Like a disease it is contagious. Some medical authorities say it is more contagious than diphtheria. It can come from fears of being inferior, poverty, or poor health.

Some people worry so, they know that if it weren’t for bad luck they wouldn’t have any luck at all. They are convinced that if they found a magic lantern they would have the luck of the fellow who did find such a lantern and was promised by the genie a midas touch. Sure enough, everything he touched turned to a muffler.

Worry is like a strong acid perpetually running on a soft surface in which it eventually cuts a channel. Unless worry is checked, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. The channel consists of three contributories. 

First, past events we long to live over.

The second is an uncertain future regarding which we have no confidence.

The third is the present which is paralyzed by absorption with our past and apprehension related to our future. Therefore – – – 

“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

“Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established….” (Proverbs 16:3)