Before I say anything else, let me tell you that I know how you feel. I know how you constantly feel overwhelmed by the weight of the world. We’re all in different seasons of life, so your worries will look different than mine. But I still worry every single day about a million things. Do you? Maybe you don’t realize that you’re worrying so much.
But, to put it bluntly, all of our worries (including mine) have selfishness and doubt at their core.
We’ve seen God work in our lives, yet we don’t really think He will work in this particular situation or that particular circumstance. We’ve read God’s promises countless times, but we don’t know if they apply to us. We don’t always try to doubt Him or obsess about our issues. However, the presence of worry simply points to the truths buried in our hearts: we are self-centered and cynical human beings.
We see a world of chaos and don’t know how to conquer it. We can’t fathom how we will accomplish certain tasks or deal with certain struggles. We feel overwhelmed just thinking about future events and experiences.
Worry seems like such a rollercoaster ride. One day, we’re worried about something trivial, like why a friend hasn’t texted us back. The next day, we’re worried about a major life decision, like where we should find a new job. Worry takes us up and down (and sometimes back up and down). It reaches out to us, tempting us to question if God will really work in _____ situation. Do you feel its tug on your heart?
Friend, the world’s cure to worry is shallow and temporary. The world promises that we’ll be okay because life will go on, no matter what we stress about.
After all, life will go on whether you ace your history exam or fail it. Life will go on whether you end up dating that pretty girl or she turns you down. Life will go on whether you get that prestigious job or stick with your current low-paying job. Life will go on whether you decide to homeschool your kids or take them to public school. Life will go on whether your pastor leaves your church or stays for thirty years. Life will go on whether you live in the same home for a year or a lifetime.
Life goes on…right?
Actually, that’s an empty promise because life does have an end. Sometimes that end is expected, and sometimes it is sudden.
But Christ has no end. He remains.
Christ remains whether you go to public school or try a new private school. Christ remains whether you decide to get engaged at age 20 or 40. Christ remains whether you have one kid naturally or adopt six kids. Christ remains whether you love your get a new boss at work or have the same boss for your whole career. Christ remains whether you struggle to put food on the table or never have to think about finances. Christ remains whether your new ministry reaches two people or a hundred people.
Christ remains.
I know that it’s not always easy to know where to go and what to do. Like I said, life often feels more like a rollercoaster ride than a straight path. But God can straighten your path.
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 your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
I admit that I worry, even when I read Matthew 6. I worry, even when it usually leads to nothing. I worry, even when I remember times I’ve worried needlessly in the past. I’m a worry warrior, and I get easily stressed.
But you don’t have to be.
You don’t have to be a worry warrior or be easily stressed. You can (and should) be reliant on the Lord. I don’t want you to waste your life feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
My chronic worrying friends, what do you worry about? What stresses you out?
My advice, though I often fail to follow it, is simple: Look for God. If we put aside our worries and questions, we can learn to see God work and acknowledge Him as He works. It isn’t a one-time occurrence; He works every single day! We simply must open our eyes and see Him, and He will show us where to go.
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