Worry

Is it worth our time?

Matthew 6:25 say "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 the life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"

This verse is red in my Bible, which of course means that it is the spoken word of Jesus. We would all accept that fact. We also might accept this verse to be a nice sentiment, a suggestion worth noting. But here's what escaped me for many years... this verse is a command. What part of "do not worry about your life" sounds like a suggestion?

Statistics show that an average person's worry is focused on:

40% - Things that will NEVER happen

30% - Things from the past that CAN'T be changed

12% - About criticism by others, mostly untrue

10% - About health, which only gets worse with stress

8% - About real problems that will actually be faced

That's the thing about worry; it's useless energy that could have been spent elsewhere. Check out what Paul says in Philippians 4:5-7, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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."

God offers us his peace, but it comes when we relinquish our fears and worries. Worry and peace do not reside in the same heart. Let's take the command he has given and live it out. It's time to clean out the fear and let his peace guard our hearts and minds!

-Ginger

p.s. New mini series for the next two weeks: UP - The Adventure of Noah.