WORRY AND ITS CURE (PART I)
 

Bad news of turmoil and upheavals have been making global headlines in recent months: the earthquake in Sichuan, China; the Nargis cyclone that hit the Irrawaddy Delta, Burma; famine in Ethiopia; unrest in Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon; soaring prices of basic necessities such as rice, sugar, eggs, flour, cooking oil. For most of Asia, rice is the staple food. But with the sudden devastation of the Irrawaddy, rice production has been severely affected: the result is a worldwide shortage. Things are not likely to improve. Will there come a time when the prices of rice and other essential commodities become so inflated that only few can afford them?

Such a scenario certainly creates worry in many minds. Everyone, even children, know something about worrying. Though worry is natural, it is vain, unprofitable and harmful. “Worry has whitened more hair, filled more lives with misery, helped to fatten more physicians’ purses and brought more people to an untimely grave than all the wars of the world. For this terrible toll that worry has exacted of the human race, what benefit has worry given? Not one iota of good has worry accomplished. It is a total loss. It has a place only on the debit side of the ledger” – Fundamental Evangelistic Association.
 

The foolishness of worry

Why is it a folly to worry? It does not benefit us nor help the particular situation. The Bible tells us that worrying is fruitless: “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matt. 6: 27). Our Heavenly Father Who watches over the birds and flowers, knows our needs: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6: 26).

When we worry we cannot think clearly and act effectively in any emergency when our help is needed. Worry can make us depressed and gloomy so that the joy of the Lord is missing from our lives. A dismal spirit is a poor witness for the Lord.
 

Overheard in an orchard
 

Said the Robin to the Sparrow
“I should really like to know
Why these human beings
Rush about and worry so.”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.”
- Author Unknown
 

The sinfulness of worry

It is a sin to worry. Many who readily acknowledge that worrying is fruitless may not agree that the habit is sinful. When we worry, our minds are taken off the Lord and focused on our problems. Worrying reflects a failure to trust in the Lord and His sovereignty. Anxiety and faith do not go together: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb 11: 6).

We would not normally verbalise our doubts about God’s love, power and faithfulness, but our fretful anxiety loudly proclaims our faithless thoughts. To question God’s rich promises of help, blessing and guidance is to make God a liar. This surely is a grave sin.

The cure for worry

Are we constantly fretting? Are we overwhelmed by our cares and the troubles of this world? There is a cure for this ravaging disease of habitual worrying. In our study next week, we will look into various Scripture portions that will help us overcome this sinful habit .
(… to be continued next week)

- Pastor