September 5, 2021
Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
~Matthew 6:27~
Oh! The hustle and bustle of this world we live in! The rushing around we do. The need for "easy fixes" or to have everything right in the palm of our hands. Our cars break down, we lose our cell phones or we missed a payment on a bill that was due. We immediately go right to the human instinct of worrying. We panic, we shut down and we overreact. We worry about what may happen next. We worry about who may reject us. We worry about getting sick. We worrying about finances. We worry about worrying! So often I find anxiety being the number one cause of a typical stomach ache. Nothing good comes out of our worries. In fact this is why Jesus tells us to cast them at His feet; "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (I Peter 5:7)
By casting something we willingly throw it or move it in another direction. Jesus will take our worries but it is up to us to physically ask for His help to take them from us. Worrying does us absolutely no good. Not for our minds. Not for our souls. Not for our spirits. Definitely not for our bodies. I am sure we have all heard someone say how dangerous stress can be on the human body. Worry loves to wreck havoc on our immune systems. When Jesus asks this question; "which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" He was stating the obvious that by worrying, by stressing; we will not be able to move forward in growth. We will feel and remain stuck. It can cause us to become spiritually sick as well. The needs and the wants will increase and the confusion will cause us to not know where to go or what to do next. We will begin to lash out at others who may not be worrying as much as we are. We will drive ourselves further from growing in the Lord's patience. It is not up to us to "figure everything out." The Lord is waiting for us to truely surrender and cast our worries, our concerns and our sorrows onto Him so that He may lead us in His way. Life is most definitely more peaceful when we do; "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind."
(Luke 12:29)
An anxious mind is not in the Lord's will what so ever. Why did Jesus feel the need to speak a whole parable concerning anxiety? He knew exactly how we would be. He knew that as technology and innovation increased, so would our need to control it and understand it. When we can't, anxiety creeps in. We will stop growing in His knowledge and we will begin to shrink in angst. There is truely no sense of benefit from worrying. So the question is; why worry at all? This is what our Lord attempts to convince us not to do. His word, His written instruction manual for living and following Him clearly stating not to worry at all. Jesus spoke highly of how the Father takes care of all things including the lillies of the field and the birds of the air, He will of course take better care of His people. This is a reminder just how much we are loved and how little we have to worry about. The trick is not getting caught up in the things of the world in which cause us to worry in the first place; "and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
(Mark 4:19)
We will become unfruitful, we will be prevented of true growth. It will do us no good to worry. We can thank Jesus for His willingness to take all of our concerns, cares and complaints for us so that we may receive His peace in its place. We can rejoice for the Kingdom is far greater then what we live in here. We can trust that God will provide to us each step of the way, but we must truely believe; "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
(Mark 11:24)
Let us focus our eyes on Jesus and whatever is in our heart right now at this moment, what so ever we are worrying on; I pray we can release it now at the foot of the cross and ask Him to fill our hearts showing us how to live in peace. For there is nothing we will gain by worrying, not even for a moment.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you that I have no need to worry for what is to come, what to do or how to respond to any given circumstance. I trust that You have my life in Your sight and are willing to guide me into each day. Lord I know that today has troubles of its own and I do not need to look ahead for You have that all planned out already. Its in Your control, not mine. Help me to break off any area of anxiety I may be holding on to that is stunting my growth. I pray healing in my body that may be caused by worry or deep stress. I praise You and rejoice for You are a God of faith and not of fear. I know that as I follow You and focus my eyes upon You that I have no need to worry about anything as everything is done according to Your will. My life is spoken for by You. My days go according to Your schedule. I bless my mind that what so ever anxiety attempts its way in will be instantly removed in the Name of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.