Reasons for Not Worrying
J. R. Miller, 1894
George MacDonald tells of a castle in which lived an old man and his son. Though they owned the castle, they were yet very poor. They could scarcely get enough bread to keep them from starving. Yet all the time there was great wealth, which, if they had known about it, would have supplied all their wants. Through long generations there had been concealed within the castle—very valuable jewels, which had been placed there by some remote ancestor, so that if he or any of his descendants should be in need, there would be something in reserve.
For a long time the old man and his son suffered for lack of food, not knowing of the hidden treasures. At last, however, they learned in some way of the jewels, and instantly their distress was ended. Yet all the years of their pinching poverty, these treasures had lain there, ready to furnish comfort, if only they had known of them.
This story illustrates the case of many Christians. They are living in their Father's house, in which are concealed the rich treasures of Divine love. Yet many of God's children seem not to know of these treasures, and live in distress. There really never is any reason why a child of God should worry about anything.
We have this teaching in plainest words in the Sermon on the Mount. Christ gives a number of strong reasons for not worrying.
One of the reasons is that anxiety about food and clothing and the world's things—is serving mammon, and we cannot serve mammon and serve God at the same time. It is trusting in money to provide for our needs, instead of in God. When money fails, then we are in distress. George MacDonald says again, "How often do we look upon God as our last and feeblest resource! We go to Him because we have nowhere else to go!" We feel safer when mammon's abundance fills the pantry and the wardrobe—than when mammon threatens to fail and we have only God.
Another reason against worry is that God, having given us our life—is certainly able to provide for our life's needs. The life is more than its provision. What a strange, mysterious thing it is, this thing which we call life! It is more wonderful than the mountains and the stars.
Think of physical life—that beats in the heart, and pulses in the veins, and stirs in all the fibers.
Think of mental life—that knows, and remembers, and feels, and chooses, and loves, and suffers; that can dart across seas and fly to the skies!
Think of spiritual life—that can climb the stairways of light and commune with God; that can worship; that can be fashioned into Christ's image; that is capable of heavenly blessedness; and that shall live as long as God lives. God has made this wonderful life—can He not provide for it the piece of bread and the cup of water it daily needs for its daily sustenance? Why, then, should we be anxious for these things?
Another reason why we should not worry the great Teacher draws from nature. God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Is the teaching that since the birds neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, therefore we should put forth no exertion to provide for our own needs? No; the birds do the best they know, but God has given us power by which we can gather for ourselves.
It is not an untoiling life—which our Lord enjoins. Curse rests not upon work—but upon idleness. The lesson from the untoiling birds is, not that we are not to work—but that we are to fill our own place as the birds fill theirs—and that then God will take care of us. God's children are better than His birds. Birds have no soul, no mental faculties. They cannot think nor reason. They do not wear God's image. They are not God's children. God is the birds' Creator—but not their Father. An earthly father will do more for his children—than for his hens. A mother will give more thought to her baby—than to her canary. Just so, our heavenly Father will provide more surely and more carefully for His children—than for His birds.
A like lesson Jesus teaches from the flowers. God clothes the lilies in loveliness far surpassing any adornment which the finest skill that art can produce. We are better than flowers. They live but for a day, and their rich beauty fades. They are lovely—but there is no soul in them, and they have no future. If our Father lavishes so much beauty on perishing plants, is there any ground for fear that He will not clothe His own dear children? Like the lily, we should grow into sweet beauty wherever God places us, not complaining, not vexing ourselves with anxious care, fulfilling God's purpose and doing God's will.
Another of the reasons Jesus gives why we should not worry—is the uselessness of it. We cannot by being anxious about our height, for example, make ourselves any taller. When we think of it, a great deal of the worrying that is so common—is over matters that we have no power to change! There is much fretting about the weather. There are many people who never get it just as they want it. They are always complaining and finding fault. But who ever heard of such fretting changing the weather? It were better far just to accept it as it comes, and be cheerful whichever way the wind blows, and whether it is hot or cold, rainy or dry.
There are many people whose condition in life disappoints them. They are poor and have to work hard to provide for their families. They have troubles and trials. They meet difficulties. Sometimes one can change one's circumstances by making an earnest effort. That is good and right. God wants us to make the most of our life. He would not have us live on in unpleasant conditions which with a little energy and taste—we might transform into comfort. If the roof leaks, we ought to mend it. If the fence is broken and our neighbor's cattle get into our garden, we ought to repair the fence. If the chimney smokes, we ought to have the flues cleaned out. There are many worries of this class which we ought to have sense enough to cure for ourselves, without vexing our souls with worry over them.
It is not an untoiling life—which our Lord enjoins. Curse rests not upon work—but upon idleness. The lesson from the untoiling birds is, not that we are not to work—but that we are to fill our own place as the birds fill theirs—and that then God will take care of us. God's children are better than His birds. Birds have no soul, no mental faculties. They cannot think nor reason. They do not wear God's image. They are not God's children. God is the birds' Creator—but not their Father. An earthly father will do more for his children—than for his hens. A mother will give more thought to her baby—than to her canary. Just so, our heavenly Father will provide more surely and more carefully for His children—than for His birds.
A like lesson Jesus teaches from the flowers. God clothes the lilies in loveliness far surpassing any adornment which the finest skill that art can produce. We are better than flowers. They live but for a day, and their rich beauty fades. They are lovely—but there is no soul in them, and they have no future. If our Father lavishes so much beauty on perishing plants, is there any ground for fear that He will not clothe His own dear children? Like the lily, we should grow into sweet beauty wherever God places us, not complaining, not vexing ourselves with anxious care, fulfilling God's purpose and doing God's will.
Another of the reasons Jesus gives why we should not worry—is the uselessness of it. We cannot by being anxious about our height, for example, make ourselves any taller. When we think of it, a great deal of the worrying that is so common—is over matters that we have no power to change! There is much fretting about the weather. There are many people who never get it just as they want it. They are always complaining and finding fault. But who ever heard of such fretting changing the weather? It were better far just to accept it as it comes, and be cheerful whichever way the wind blows, and whether it is hot or cold, rainy or dry.
There are many people whose condition in life disappoints them. They are poor and have to work hard to provide for their families. They have troubles and trials. They meet difficulties. Sometimes one can change one's circumstances by making an earnest effort. That is good and right. God wants us to make the most of our life. He would not have us live on in unpleasant conditions which with a little energy and taste—we might transform into comfort. If the roof leaks, we ought to mend it. If the fence is broken and our neighbor's cattle get into our garden, we ought to repair the fence. If the chimney smokes, we ought to have the flues cleaned out. There are many worries of this class which we ought to have sense enough to cure for ourselves, without vexing our souls with worry over them.
But there are many things, not just to our mind, which we cannot alter. Many young people fret over the limitations of their home, the narrowness of their opportunities. They think that if only they had the home and the opportunities of some envied neighbor, they would get on so much better and make so much more of their life! They have to work constantly on the farm or in the shop. They have no time for reading. Their home is without cheerfulness. They love it, of course—but it lacks the privileges they crave.
Now, what good can ever come from worrying over such things? The noble way is to accept the conditions that are hard—is to live cheerfully in them. Hard work is made easier—when one can sing at it. Burdens are made lighter—when one's heart is full of joy. When we acquiesce in any unpleasant experience, we have conquered the unpleasantness. A thoughtful writer says: "The soul loses command of itself when it is impatient, whereas, when it submits without a murmur, it possesses itself in peace, and possesses God. When we acquiesce in an evil, it is no longer such. Why make a real calamity of it by resistance? Peace does not dwell in outward things—but within the soul. We may preserve peace of heart in the midst of bitterest pain—if we remain trusting and submissive. Peace in this life springs from acquiescence, even in disagreeable things, not in exemption from bearing them."
Besides, the very hardness of our condition—is ofttimes that from which the greatest blessing comes. The world's best men—have not been grown in easy circumstances. Pampered, petted boys—do not usually make the heroes and the great men of their generation. Hardship in early years, nine times out of ten, is that which makes a man strong and stalwart and a power among men when he reaches his prime.
Herodotus wrote: "It is a law of nature that faint-hearted men should be the fruit of luxurious countries; for we never find that the same soil produces both delicacies and heroes." Therefore, instead of worrying over the rough, stern, and severe things in his environment, a healthy, wholesome boy ought to set to work to master them, and in mastering them—get strength and victoriousness for his own life.
A jeweler brought a large and beautiful onyx to an engraver of precious stones. "See how clear, pure, and transparent this stone is," said the jeweler. "What a fine one for your skill, were it not for this one fatal blemish!" Then he showed him at one point an underlying tinge of iron-rust, which, as he said, made the stone almost worthless.
But the engraver took it, and with matchless skill and delicacy wrought upon the stone, carving a graceful figure. By most ingenious and patient use of his engraving tool, he fashioned it so that what had seemed an irreparable blemish was made into a leopard-skin, on which rested the foot of the lovely figure—the contrasting colors enhancing the beauty of the lovely cameo.
This illustrates what God would have us do with the hard things in our condition. We think we can never make anything of our life, with all the discouraging things there are in our lot. Really, however we can make our life all the nobler, greater, stronger, more beautiful—by means of the very things which we think ruin us. We can make them yield new strength and beauty, for our character.
This is the way to treat the hard, discouraging things in life. It is useless to fret over them—fretting will never remove them, and it only weakens our energy and mars our life! But if we meet them with undismayed courage and persistent resolve, we shall conquer them, and in conquering them carve royalty of character and noble worth of ourselves.
Another of our Master's reasons why we should not worry—is that worrying is a sin. He says that the heathen worry. But they know no better. They have never learned about God and His fatherhood, and it is no wonder if they are anxious sometimes about the needs of their lives. But we know what God is. We have learned to call Him our Father. If we believe what we say we believe concerning our privileges as God's children—we ought not to worry. Worry is doubting God, unbelief. It dishonors Him whose love is infinite and eternal, and whose promises are so wide and full.
For, really, as Jesus tells us again—we have nothing to do with the care of our own life. We have only one thing to do: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." The rest is God's responsibility, "And all these things shall be added unto you." When we grow anxious about food or clothing or shelter—we are taking the care of our life out of our Father's hand. We should learn to put the emphasis on our own duty. We never can be too careful at this point. We must leave no duty undone, no task neglected. We must not seek to care of ourselves by sinful means, by living dishonestly. Our part is to be true, loyal, and faithful. Then we may leave all the rest in God's hands.
At the close of His wonderful talk about worry, our Lord gives us a wonderful secret. He tells us that we should keep the fences up between the days. We must not bring tomorrow's cares—into today. The morrow must look to its own matters. When its cares actually come—it will be soon enough to take them up. This is a golden lesson—living by the day. We should learn it!
Recently in speaking of one of our friends, she said, "Mrs. Smith has so much to worry about." I suppose a great many people thinking the same thing—that they have causes for worry. Perhaps they feel somewhat justified in worrying, because they are confronted with difficulties, and difficulties always create foreboding and fear—unless they are properly met.
I have before me a letter that says: "I brought up in a 'worry' home, therefore I had acquired the habit of worrying from childhood. I have worried regarding my spiritual condition since my early years, and it is hard to rid myself of the habit."
"A worry home"—what a picture that brings to our minds! No doubt all of us know of such homes. Perhaps some of us have been reared such homes and have acquired the habit of worrying. Many others who have not been reared in "worry homes" have acquired the habit. Worrying is a habit, and a very bad one. It is an inexcusable one for a Christian.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORRY
First of all, worry is distrust of God. Christians believe God is watching over their lives. If they believe their Bible, they must believe that God's wall of protection is round about them and that nothing can come to them that does not come through his will. He has told us that all things work together for good, if we truly love him. If we trust our heavenly Father's care, we will rest in the assurance that he knows and cares and will not fail to help us in every time of trouble. In other words, we have no cause for worry.
When we worry, we take ourselves out of God's hands and try to fight our own battles. I do not mean that we are not Christians; but we do trust in our own efforts, rather than in his grace and loving care. When we trust—we do not worry. When we worry—we do not trust.
Worry dishonors God. The goodness of God, his love for his people, and his protecting care—are told over and over in the Bible, proclaimed by preachers, and spoken of in our testimonies. Yet when trouble looms on the horizon—we begin worry, worry, worry. We leave God out of picture, forget his promises, and take the whole burden upon ourselves! He has told us to cast burdens upon him, but we do not do it when worry. We bear our burdens ourselves and add to them by our worry—making them far greater they would be, even without divine help, if we not worry.
We are told to do all things to the glory of God. Did you ever worry to the glory of God? Did worry ever make you feel like praising God? Does the fact that you worry make other people feel that you believe in God and expect him help you in your troubles? No! Your worry honors God, and advertises the fact that you not trusting in him.
Worry never makes anything better. Look back over the past and consider the things about which you have worried about. Did worrying make them come out any better? Did worry give you strength meet your problems?
But you say, "I cannot help worrying." I a not so sure about that. Many people, even those who are not Christians, go through troubles great as yours without worrying. They have learned to face circumstances, and make the best of them. Christians should not only do this—they should do still more. They should trust the Lord to take them through difficulties, to give them strength, to make them victorious.
How many times in the past have you worried over things, when the outcome showed that you had no reason to worry? All your worrying was useless and causeless. Trust is a remedy that never fails to cure the worry habit. Therefore, learn to trust.
WHAT WORRY DOES TO US
Here is what the lady from the "worry home" says: "I am mentally in a state of agitation most of the time, which hinders me from clear thinking, and this makes it almost impossible for me to compose my mind and to take clear action."
That is exactly what worry does for anyone. It agitates the mind, and as a result clear thinking is impossible; and if one does not think clearly, then one's judgment of facts cannot be clear and correct. Therefore, one can imagine that all sorts of evils are going to happen to him, and his worry is increased.
Many people lose control of themselves and go to pieces—their nerves break down, their courage leaves them, they are forlorn, discouraged, and often hopeless. What brought them to such a state? Not the things that were actually facing them, but their worry over those things.
The lady quoted knew the remedy: "I know that simple trust is the remedy, but sometimes this, too, is hard to do and it takes me several hours to get quiet."
Worry is a habit which is hard to break. This lady is gaining, however, for even though it does take some time, she is learning to trust; and when she trusts, she comes to quietness of spirit and her worry ends. She has got farther along than many, and she will eventually gain victory over the habit and learn to trust and be at peace even under threatening circumstances. She still give way to worry and this is the result: "I still spend hours in discouragement and almost despair of ever being an overcomer." However, she does not remain in that condition: "Then my faith and courage will rise and I trust and obey through to victory." She further says, "One thought has always helped me in time of trouble: if somebody else has come through this, I can stand it too."
NO REASON FOR WORRY
No Christian has any reason to worry. Get that fact fixed in your mind. Read it over and over. If you are a Christian, it applies to you. You may be a worrier, but you have no justification for your worry. Read God's promises and see if you can find justification in them for your worrying. Think of how he has helped you in times past, and brought you through even greater difficulties than those which you now face.
Look at what God has done for many others. Does that give you reason to worry? Not one good word can be said for worrying. There is no excuse for it—no reason for it. Worry is a sort of mental disease. All bad habits finally become a sort of disease; for they produce physical results. The most common physical result of worry is broken-down nerves, mental instability, and lack of ability to meet things that are coming.
Learn to cast your cares on Christ. He will really bear them for you. He will really sustain you. He will really give you grace, courage, help, comfort—and whatever is needed to take you through. No, you have nothing to worry about.
Undue anxiety is very common among the unsaved — I suppose they cannot help it. Yet Christians must help it; for the Lord's precept is plain and binding: "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
Fretful anxiety is forbidden to the Christian!
It is needless. "Look at the birds of the air," said Christ: "they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" If you have a Father in Heaven to care for you — are you not put to shame by every little bird that sits upon the bough and sings, though it has not two grains of barley in all the world? God takes charge of the birds of the air, and thus they live exempt from anxious care — why do not we?
Our Lord also taught that such anxiety is useless as well as needless; for, with all our care, we cannot add a single hour to our life!
Can we do anything else by fretful care? What if the farmer deplores that there is no rain? Do his fears unstop the bottles of Heaven? Or if the merchant sighs because the wind detains his ship laden with goods — will his complainings turn the gale to another quarter?
We do not better ourselves a bit, by all our fretting and fuming. It would be infinitely wiser to do our best — and then cast our cares upon our God!
Prudence is wisdom — for it adapts means to ends.
But anxiety is folly — for it groans and worries, and accomplishes nothing!
Besides, according to our Savior, anxiety about worldly things is heathenish: "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them!" They have no God and no providence — and therefore they try to be a providence to themselves. Let the heir of Heaven act a nobler part than the mere man of the world — who has his portion in this life, and lives without God and without hope.
Our distrust of our God is both childish and dishonoring. I was driven through the streets one day by a friend in a four-wheeled carriage, and he, being a good driver, must needs drive into narrow places, where it seemed to me that we would be crushed by the vans and omnibuses. I shrank back in my timidity, and expressed my unwise alarms so freely, that with a smile he laid the reins in my hand, and said, "If you cannot trust me — would you like to drive yourself?" From that ambition I was wholly free, and I assured him that he might drive as he liked, rather than make me the charioteer!
Surely, the great God might well put the same proposal to those who are complaining of His providence. If we cannot trust Him — could we manage better ourselves?
If we are Christians, let us believe in our God, and leave the governance of the great world to the Lord God, our heavenly Father, who will surely cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him!
A jeweler brought a large and beautiful onyx to an engraver of precious stones. "See how clear, pure, and transparent this stone is," said the jeweler. "What a fine one for your skill, were it not for this one fatal blemish!" Then he showed him at one point an underlying tinge of iron-rust, which, as he said, made the stone almost worthless.
But the engraver took it, and with matchless skill and delicacy wrought upon the stone, carving a graceful figure. By most ingenious and patient use of his engraving tool, he fashioned it so that what had seemed an irreparable blemish was made into a leopard-skin, on which rested the foot of the lovely figure—the contrasting colors enhancing the beauty of the lovely cameo.
This illustrates what God would have us do with the hard things in our condition. We think we can never make anything of our life, with all the discouraging things there are in our lot. Really, however we can make our life all the nobler, greater, stronger, more beautiful—by means of the very things which we think ruin us. We can make them yield new strength and beauty, for our character.
This is the way to treat the hard, discouraging things in life. It is useless to fret over them—fretting will never remove them, and it only weakens our energy and mars our life! But if we meet them with undismayed courage and persistent resolve, we shall conquer them, and in conquering them carve royalty of character and noble worth of ourselves.
Another of our Master's reasons why we should not worry—is that worrying is a sin. He says that the heathen worry. But they know no better. They have never learned about God and His fatherhood, and it is no wonder if they are anxious sometimes about the needs of their lives. But we know what God is. We have learned to call Him our Father. If we believe what we say we believe concerning our privileges as God's children—we ought not to worry. Worry is doubting God, unbelief. It dishonors Him whose love is infinite and eternal, and whose promises are so wide and full.
For, really, as Jesus tells us again—we have nothing to do with the care of our own life. We have only one thing to do: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." The rest is God's responsibility, "And all these things shall be added unto you." When we grow anxious about food or clothing or shelter—we are taking the care of our life out of our Father's hand. We should learn to put the emphasis on our own duty. We never can be too careful at this point. We must leave no duty undone, no task neglected. We must not seek to care of ourselves by sinful means, by living dishonestly. Our part is to be true, loyal, and faithful. Then we may leave all the rest in God's hands.
At the close of His wonderful talk about worry, our Lord gives us a wonderful secret. He tells us that we should keep the fences up between the days. We must not bring tomorrow's cares—into today. The morrow must look to its own matters. When its cares actually come—it will be soon enough to take them up. This is a golden lesson—living by the day. We should learn it!
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25-34
____________________________________________
(Charles Naylor, 1944)
I have before me a letter that says: "I brought up in a 'worry' home, therefore I had acquired the habit of worrying from childhood. I have worried regarding my spiritual condition since my early years, and it is hard to rid myself of the habit."
"A worry home"—what a picture that brings to our minds! No doubt all of us know of such homes. Perhaps some of us have been reared such homes and have acquired the habit of worrying. Many others who have not been reared in "worry homes" have acquired the habit. Worrying is a habit, and a very bad one. It is an inexcusable one for a Christian.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORRY
First of all, worry is distrust of God. Christians believe God is watching over their lives. If they believe their Bible, they must believe that God's wall of protection is round about them and that nothing can come to them that does not come through his will. He has told us that all things work together for good, if we truly love him. If we trust our heavenly Father's care, we will rest in the assurance that he knows and cares and will not fail to help us in every time of trouble. In other words, we have no cause for worry.
When we worry, we take ourselves out of God's hands and try to fight our own battles. I do not mean that we are not Christians; but we do trust in our own efforts, rather than in his grace and loving care. When we trust—we do not worry. When we worry—we do not trust.
Worry dishonors God. The goodness of God, his love for his people, and his protecting care—are told over and over in the Bible, proclaimed by preachers, and spoken of in our testimonies. Yet when trouble looms on the horizon—we begin worry, worry, worry. We leave God out of picture, forget his promises, and take the whole burden upon ourselves! He has told us to cast burdens upon him, but we do not do it when worry. We bear our burdens ourselves and add to them by our worry—making them far greater they would be, even without divine help, if we not worry.
We are told to do all things to the glory of God. Did you ever worry to the glory of God? Did worry ever make you feel like praising God? Does the fact that you worry make other people feel that you believe in God and expect him help you in your troubles? No! Your worry honors God, and advertises the fact that you not trusting in him.
Worry never makes anything better. Look back over the past and consider the things about which you have worried about. Did worrying make them come out any better? Did worry give you strength meet your problems?
But you say, "I cannot help worrying." I a not so sure about that. Many people, even those who are not Christians, go through troubles great as yours without worrying. They have learned to face circumstances, and make the best of them. Christians should not only do this—they should do still more. They should trust the Lord to take them through difficulties, to give them strength, to make them victorious.
How many times in the past have you worried over things, when the outcome showed that you had no reason to worry? All your worrying was useless and causeless. Trust is a remedy that never fails to cure the worry habit. Therefore, learn to trust.
WHAT WORRY DOES TO US
Here is what the lady from the "worry home" says: "I am mentally in a state of agitation most of the time, which hinders me from clear thinking, and this makes it almost impossible for me to compose my mind and to take clear action."
That is exactly what worry does for anyone. It agitates the mind, and as a result clear thinking is impossible; and if one does not think clearly, then one's judgment of facts cannot be clear and correct. Therefore, one can imagine that all sorts of evils are going to happen to him, and his worry is increased.
Many people lose control of themselves and go to pieces—their nerves break down, their courage leaves them, they are forlorn, discouraged, and often hopeless. What brought them to such a state? Not the things that were actually facing them, but their worry over those things.
The lady quoted knew the remedy: "I know that simple trust is the remedy, but sometimes this, too, is hard to do and it takes me several hours to get quiet."
Worry is a habit which is hard to break. This lady is gaining, however, for even though it does take some time, she is learning to trust; and when she trusts, she comes to quietness of spirit and her worry ends. She has got farther along than many, and she will eventually gain victory over the habit and learn to trust and be at peace even under threatening circumstances. She still give way to worry and this is the result: "I still spend hours in discouragement and almost despair of ever being an overcomer." However, she does not remain in that condition: "Then my faith and courage will rise and I trust and obey through to victory." She further says, "One thought has always helped me in time of trouble: if somebody else has come through this, I can stand it too."
NO REASON FOR WORRY
No Christian has any reason to worry. Get that fact fixed in your mind. Read it over and over. If you are a Christian, it applies to you. You may be a worrier, but you have no justification for your worry. Read God's promises and see if you can find justification in them for your worrying. Think of how he has helped you in times past, and brought you through even greater difficulties than those which you now face.
Look at what God has done for many others. Does that give you reason to worry? Not one good word can be said for worrying. There is no excuse for it—no reason for it. Worry is a sort of mental disease. All bad habits finally become a sort of disease; for they produce physical results. The most common physical result of worry is broken-down nerves, mental instability, and lack of ability to meet things that are coming.
Learn to cast your cares on Christ. He will really bear them for you. He will really sustain you. He will really give you grace, courage, help, comfort—and whatever is needed to take you through. No, you have nothing to worry about.
____________________________________________
Are you not put to shame by every little bird that
sits upon the bough and sings, though it has not
two grains of barley in all the world?
(Charles Spurgeon, "A Good Start!")
Undue anxiety is very common among the unsaved — I suppose they cannot help it. Yet Christians must help it; for the Lord's precept is plain and binding: "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
Fretful anxiety is forbidden to the Christian!
It is needless. "Look at the birds of the air," said Christ: "they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" If you have a Father in Heaven to care for you — are you not put to shame by every little bird that sits upon the bough and sings, though it has not two grains of barley in all the world? God takes charge of the birds of the air, and thus they live exempt from anxious care — why do not we?
Our Lord also taught that such anxiety is useless as well as needless; for, with all our care, we cannot add a single hour to our life!
Can we do anything else by fretful care? What if the farmer deplores that there is no rain? Do his fears unstop the bottles of Heaven? Or if the merchant sighs because the wind detains his ship laden with goods — will his complainings turn the gale to another quarter?
We do not better ourselves a bit, by all our fretting and fuming. It would be infinitely wiser to do our best — and then cast our cares upon our God!
Prudence is wisdom — for it adapts means to ends.
But anxiety is folly — for it groans and worries, and accomplishes nothing!
Besides, according to our Savior, anxiety about worldly things is heathenish: "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them!" They have no God and no providence — and therefore they try to be a providence to themselves. Let the heir of Heaven act a nobler part than the mere man of the world — who has his portion in this life, and lives without God and without hope.
Our distrust of our God is both childish and dishonoring. I was driven through the streets one day by a friend in a four-wheeled carriage, and he, being a good driver, must needs drive into narrow places, where it seemed to me that we would be crushed by the vans and omnibuses. I shrank back in my timidity, and expressed my unwise alarms so freely, that with a smile he laid the reins in my hand, and said, "If you cannot trust me — would you like to drive yourself?" From that ambition I was wholly free, and I assured him that he might drive as he liked, rather than make me the charioteer!
Surely, the great God might well put the same proposal to those who are complaining of His providence. If we cannot trust Him — could we manage better ourselves?
If we are Christians, let us believe in our God, and leave the governance of the great world to the Lord God, our heavenly Father, who will surely cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him!
Look at God's Divine Providence
