Title: Life’s Concerns

Date: 2008-04-20

Reference: Luke 6: 25-33

I have a tendency to fret about things. Sometimes I actually worry about things, usually things beyond my control. I know worry is a choice God lets me make. God will let anyone of us worry about anything if we choose to do so. In the last couple of weeks I’ve had some concerns that actually caused me to lose sleep. Lying awake thinking about them didn’t do anything for my peace of mind. Nor did all my tossing and turning solve my problems.

We’re sometimes like the patient who had just been diagnosed with an ulcer caused by worry. The patient was quite concerned about this worrisome condition and said to his physician: “Dr., I am worried about the fact that worrying about my ulcer might make it worse.”

There is a huge difference between concern and worry. We must be prepared. We must all fret the details, we should do our homework. But God reminds us we never need to be paralyzed by worry. Thankfully I am learning to trust more and worry less. But I still have my moments.

As I look back over my life I realize most of the things I have worried about never even happened. 95% of what we worry about never happens. And even if it does happen, God is there to walk with us. We are never alone. Jesus said worry is plain silly, a complete and total waste of precious time.

I have faithfully kept a prayer journal for the last 30 years.

Each evening I record the days events, highlights, disappointments, hopes, dreams, and fears. It’s really very therapeutic for me to look back and see how God answers prayers and how God works. It never fails, the things that bothered me or disturbed my tranquility are inconsequential in a few months, or years, even weeks or days.

My faith in God grows every year, as I learn to trust God with the large issues and the small pesky issues of life. One day we will leave this life and enter eternity. Then we will need to trust God completely. Learning to trust God a bit at a time, in life, prepares us for the day when we throw ourselves completely into his waiting arms, in death. On that day all of our worldly worries and concerns will cease to be of importance.

Over and over in the Scriptures, God says to his people: “Whatever concerns you concerns me too.” God reminds us we did not come to this place in life by accident. We are exactly where God meant for us to be.

Sometimes we major in the minors because it’s too difficult to sort out what is really important. We might think food, clothing, and shelter are important. They are. Try doing without them for a week. But Jesus says even these things, as crucial and important as they are, are not worth worrying about. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” said Jesus, “and all these other things will be added unto you.” Jesus has promised when we take care of first things first, like the Kingdom of God, all the other things begin to line up.

Jesus continues to ask: “Why waste your life worrying about everything that comes your way?” Most things in life are not important when viewed in the light of eternity. Think of the things you’ve worried about in the last 24 hours.

Were they worth all the time, energy, and effort you spent on them? Will what you worried about matter or will anyone remember them a week, a month, or a year from now? If not you are probably majoring in the minors. It’s far better to use the energy required to worry about temporal things, to attend to matters of the soul. Ask the Lord to teach you what is really important. As you begin to view your concerns through the mind and eyes of Jesus you’ll find yourself with fewer anxious thoughts.

Remember the little Sunday School song that said: “Why worry when you can pray? Trust Jesus and he’ll be your stay.” The world asks: “Why pray when you can worry?” We’re like Charlie Brown who said: “I have a new philosophy. I’m only going to dread one day at a time.” That’s no way to live, but it’s often the way we choose to live.

When Jesus met the disciples in the Upper Room they were worried and anxious about many things. Jesus said: “My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, do I give unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid.” The peace of God we seek for our lives, the peace Jesus offers is not the absolute absence of trouble. We seek the presence of God in the midst of life’s peaks and valleys. We’ve faced problems before and we’ll face problems in the future as well. Pick up the paper when you get home and you’ll read about plenty to things capable of producing anxiety. A war in Iraq that drags on with no end in sight. The cost of gasoline rising daily. The cost of food going up. The housing market, unemployment figures, crime and a sense of hopelessness felt by many. Add to all of that the daily issues we all face. The car breaks down, an exam tomorrow, taxes due.

Reminds me of a man who came home from work after a very long, hard day. He said to his wife.”Please don’t give my any bad news. I don’t need anything else to worry about. I cannot handle anything else today.” His wife decided to put the best possible face on things and said: “You know we have so much to be thankful for. Our home, food, health. We have four wonderful kids.” The husband was feeling better already. She continues.”And three of those wonderful kids didn’t fall out of a tree and break their arm today.”

Challenge is a part of life. In life each challenging and difficult experience prepares us for an even more challenging and difficult experience to come. Some of you here may be anticipating or dreading a challenging experience off in the future. You may even be worrying about it. The anxiety might be overwhelming. Remember you don’t face the challenges of life alone. God is there. I’ve found the more we worry the more we find to worry about. I’ve also learned it’s almost impossible to worry while we are praying.

Remember the story of Mary and Martha? Jesus had come to their home and Martha was distracted with all her preparations. She was upset because Mary was not helping her. “Lord” she said, “Don’t you care that I’m doing all the work. Tell Mary to help me.” Jesus said: “Martha you are worried about many things. There is only one thing necessary to think about.” Jesus was not unappreciative of Martha’s hospitality or of a good meal. Perhaps a modern paraphrase would be: “Martha you are worried about putting on a big meal when a sandwich would be fine. It’s more important for you to spend time with me, as Mary is doing, and hear what I am saying.”

Let’s learn to trust a bit more and worry a bit less. We’ll be happier for it. I’ll never forget Paul Harvey talking about a survivor of a Hurricane in the South East. After having waited in line for food and water in Florida, she vowed she was getting out. She was determined to get as far away as she could. She desired a nice restful vacation. In a short time she found herself standing in life for fresh water and food having gone through a hurricane on the Hawaiian Islands. It’s no good to pretend problems will not come, to try and run away from them or to worry about them.

Charles Swindoll writes: “The longer I live the more I realize the importance or attitude in life. Attitude is more important than facts. Attitude is more important than the past, education, circumstances, failure, and success. Attitude is more important than what people say and do. Attitude will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice each and every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change other people, we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is about 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We are in charge of our attitudes.”

I think he is right. And as we seek to change our attitudes the best place to start is with God. God offers us His peace, His presence, His comfort, His help, His instruction. Our confirmation class has been visiting about God, Prayer, and the Bible among other things. In the Bible we read: “Cast all your worries on God, because God cares for you.” We read how God will supply all our needs. And how we are invited to come to God with all our concerns which is much better than worrying about them.

The promise is rest and peace. God knows what we need before we ask. God knows our desires before we express them. God knows what is best for us. There are many things in life each of us would change if we had the opportunity. Some things we cannot change. We must do the best we can with what we have. Rather than worry talk to God and seek the help, and peace He is always ready to offer. This makes much more sense. It did in Jesus’ day and it does today.