Go On Worry, Prove It Doesn’t Work – Part One
A confluence of negative and troublesome issues have resulted in an outbreak of worry for many. None can be helped by worrying about them.
Jesus Christ knows human nature. He knows your tendency to worry. He is aware of your proclivity to be pessimistic and look on the dark side of most things. Knowing this He addressed the subject by posing a practical question showing the futility of worry: “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6: 17). In other words, worry changes nothing. Therefore, it doesn’t help.
Modern day behavioral psychologists have studiously observed people who worry and concluded the following:
- 40% of the things we worry about never happen.
- 30% have already happened.
- 12% relate unnecessarily to our own health.
- 10% pertain to miscellaneous minutia.
- 8% need our undivided attention and worry prevents this.
Mark Twain once wrote: “I am an old man and I have seen a lot of troubles, but most of them never happened.”
The Authorized King James version translates the Greek word MERIMNAO “take no thought.” The Greek word has two parts which are MERIM, meaning “mind” and NAO, signifying “to divide.” Thus, the word speaks of a divided mind. That is what worry is, a divided mind. It means to fall to pieces. Oldtimers used to say, “I just fell to pieces.”
The reason MERIMNAO is translated “take no thought” in the AKJ and “worry” in the NKJ is because word meanings tend to change. To “take no thought” is what worry is, therefore it is so translated.
“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)
Worry divides our MIND, our UNDERSTANDING; therefore, we end up wishy-washy and confused.
Worry divides our DISCERNMENT; therefore, our observations and conclusions are cloudy.
Worry divides our FEELINGS and as a result our emotions are unstable.
One friend said to another, “No wonder you are always tired. You do everything three times. You worry about it before you do it. Then you do it. Then you worry about having done it.”
Worry is irreverent, for it fails to recognize God who gave us life as the one who sustains life. It is irrelevant in that it does not change anything.
It is irresponsible because it uses up time and burns up energy without using it productively.
Worry is a medallion worn by those who have not yet concluded, “Jesus Christ will take care of me.” Prove you do believe He will by not worrying.