WORRY NOT

What if we treated worry as a sin? Would that change the way we respond whenever we felt ourselves starting to worry about something? Would we quickly repent of that and re-submit ourselves to Christ?

Well, I hope you’re sitting down because worry is a sin. That is, if you define a sin as disobedience to Jesus, anyway. Because Jesus clearly commanded us not to worry, and he told us that if we would seek first the Kingdom of God that all of the things we’re worrying about would be handled for us.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…” (Matt. 6:25)

“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.” (Matt. 6:31-33)

I think most of us treat worry as something we’re better off not doing, but I think few of us put worry in the same category as lust, or slander, or stealing. Most of us treat worry as a bad habit, or an occasional mood swing, but according to Jesus our worry betrays our lack of faith in God to handle our needs.

If we treated worry like we treated lust or lying, we’d feel guilty whenever we caught ourselves doing it. We’d feel the need to confess that sin to God and to ask Him to help us resist that temptation.

Trusting God allows us to enjoy the freedom of living in the now. It sets us free from being chained down to all the “what ifs” and fears that rule our minds and corrupt our joy.

So, the next time to feel tempted to worry, repent of that sin and confess it quickly to God. Surrender your fears to Him and re-affirm your trust of God’s love for you and His perfect ability to take care of everything in your life.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” – Corrie Ten Boom.
-kg