Dear Christians, should you worry?
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The world is suffering, and most people worry.
My brother-in-Christ worries too. His wife has cancer, he is unemployed, and he is unwell. He couldn't sleep in the middle of the night, wondering how he will pay his bills.
I have reasons to worry too, as a sole breadwinner of the family and unemployed. I don't have many customers to sell to. Life is a consistent roller coaster of feast and famine, with days of no sales. The constant question on my mind is, "Where am I going to get the money?" Somehow, help comes from unexpected sources, and I get to live another day. God did not spare me from suffering, but I did not drown. He meets my needs. God has not forsaken or failed me. That's why I have confidence in His providence.
Most of us worry, isn't it? We worry about our families, our finances, our futures. Worry is a natural human response to uncertainty, isn't it? May I boldly say - Worry is a sign of a lack of trust in God.
When we worry, we're essentially saying to God, "I don't trust you to handle this; I need to take control." But the truth is, our Heavenly Father is more than capable of handling every aspect of our lives. He is sovereign, all-powerful, and loving.
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus teaches us to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, and promises that all our needs will be met. He reminds us that our Heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field – will He not much more provide for us? If you ask your Father for bread, will he give you a stone?
When the storms of life come, when fires rage, and when lions roar, will God not rescue us from those situations? Well, my friends, God may not take you out of the storm, the fire, or the lion's den. But He will take you through, and you will survive.
Remember the story in Mark 4:35-41, where Jesus and His disciples were in a boat on the lake, and a fierce storm arose? The disciples were terrified, but Jesus was asleep. They woke Him up, saying, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" And Jesus replied, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Then He got up, rebuked the wind and the waves, and said, "Quiet! Be still!" And the storm subsided. The disciples were amazed, and they asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!"
That's the power of our God! He is the One who can calm the storms, extinguish the fires, and tame the lions. And even if He doesn't remove us from the difficult circumstances, He promises to be with us in the midst of them.
May we be a people who trust in God's sovereignty, who rest in His presence, and who find freedom from the weight of worry.
Let us pray:
Dear Lord, we confess our worries and our lack of trust. Help us to surrender our fears and our doubts to you. May your peace be our guide, and may your love be our anchor in every storm. Just as you calmed the storm on the lake, calm the storms in our lives. And when we pass through the fires and the lion's dens, be with us, and bring us out stronger and wiser on the other side. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
