Welcome to a new week Lightbrights!
This is part 2 of the 3 part series, where today's topic is worrying.
In the bible, Jesus tells the disciples not to worry 5 times in Matthew 6:25-34 and in His sermon on the Mount. Now I must agree, this at times can be more easily said than done, but with the assurance of the Holy Spirit and God's track record, worrying can be something to be left in the past for the believer.
Everyone either knows or has been a "Worry Wart". Its understandable to worry when we look at the state of the world, our own life difficulties and the fear of a bleak future. Let me take you on a self journey of removing worrying from life and not accepting a "That's just the way I am approach" to it.
The bible says when we know to do something and we don't do it, then to us or that person it becomes sin. Worrying removes our focus off of God and leaves us to our imaginations. God's ways and thoughts are much higher than ours. He knows our outcome, our beginning and end, and everything we will face in between.
You may say to yourself worrying is not that bad, I'm human, everyone does it. And that would be a true statement, but the good news of passing from death to life in Christ, is that we no longer have to succumb to a life of fear and worry. We have to learn to put off the old man- which harbored worrying. Worrying seduces us to move on our own behalf. It leads us often to coming up with solutions that may be out of God's plan or time and season. That is how worrying is relatable and comparable to sin. It's telling God, "I don't trust you to do it, so let me handle it". We see these examples thru out the bible.
For example, Sarah- Abrahams's wife worried that God's promise of a child would not come to pass, so she convinced Abram to sleep with their slave Hagar. In those days, in that culture, this was often done when the wife could not bear children or provide an male heir for the husband. The bible does not say this was acceptable, we just see it and know it to have been a middle eastern norm during that time. We know God intended marriage to be for 1 man and 1 woman, but because of men hearts, it was allowed but was not originally God's design. In the worrying of Abraham and Sarah, Ishmael was born. But then the household was soon in upheaval due to the strain relationship between Sarah and Hagar. Oh what a mess this was! It was such a mess, Hagar ended up being sent away. Eventually, the Lord persuaded her to go back home and serve her rightful place, but now another tale set in motion. God chose to also bless Ishmael and his descendants, although he wasn't the child promised, but because he was Abrahams's son, God blessed him anyway. But the prophecy of Ishmael was one that told his descendants would be numerous and a great nation but that they would also be a wild people with hostility toward all tribes around them. Most of Ishmaels descendants are who we would call all the Arab and middle eastern populated countries today. Most of them also being Muslim. So we can deduce that Muslims and ethnical Jews are kin or cousins if you will , as both descended from Abraham and are largely at war with each other even up to this day!
The tension in the middle east- because Abraham and Sarah worried! Would you just think about that for a moment. Now this was not outside of God, in His omnipotence He knows all things and still makes all things work to His will. Even when you and I worry, then do something outside of His will, there is always forgiveness when we repent and choose to rely on him.
Consider these acts to do when you feel worry creeping into your heart and spirit:
WORSHIP- Put your mind on the grace and provision of God and worship Him instead of feeding the doubt and worry. Put on some worship music or a sermon.
Fix your mind on Him.
MAKE A CALL TO REMEBERANCE- Remind yourself of all the ways God has made and always make. If He did it before, He can do it again.
READ YOUR BIBLE- Dive into the word of God. I like to read the Psalms. David went thru so much, but he wasn't afraid to take all his worry, anxiety and angst to God.
PRAY- Doesn't have to be big words or a long prayer. Just ask God to help you. To help your unbelief and give you peace, clarity and direction. Then trust He will provide.
I hope this blog invited you to look once again in the mirror to see those things you need to uproot or change. We are no longer using the sin crutch of "That's just the way I am" to hinder our growth and walk with God.
Next blog will focus on control. I have a tendency to be a control freak at times, so it will be a doozy...I'm sure!
Until next time,
Keep Shining
Kee Isadore
Scriptures to meditate on:
Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
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