Reimar A.C. Schultze

Past Issues of the Call To Obedience

"God Does Not Worry - Neither Should You"

by Pastor Reimar A. C. Schultze

Since God is big enough to solve any problem, to prevent any disaster, to change the course of history - it is obvious He has nothing to worry about. We are not God so we have plenty of reasons to worry, right? WRONG! We have no reason to worry, because we have a Father in heaven who says I will never leave you nor forsake you. That should settle it. Since the Captain of our salvation does not worry, why should His passengers worry even in the midst of the greatest storms of life?

Worry is a breakdown of faith. It shuts us out of every thing God has for us.

     Worry is taking your eyes off Jesus. It causes you to look at the problem rather than at the solution:  Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.  Worry makes you too weak to lift your shield of faith by which you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph. 6:16).  Worry can draw no strength from heaven for we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (1 Pet. 1:5). Worry hinders your prayers. James said: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6). Worry makes individuals and whole churches weak. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees... (Heb. 12:12).

Worry hinders you from seeing the needs of others. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord  (Col. 3:16).  Worry makes it impossible for you to walk with God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him… (Heb. 11:6). Worry darkens the sky making it impossible for you to successfully navigate around the obstacles of life. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness  (1Th. 5:5).

Worry gives you stress, anxiety, depression, ulcers and heart disease.  Worry will never win a battle or lift a burden. It brings discouragement to any you are with, it hinders or prevents your witness for Christ, it will make you look like the sinners in the world. Worry has no hands by which to hold on to the promises of God. It has no song, no vision, no wisdom, no discernment, no understanding, no strength nor beauty.

As you can see, the effects of worry are beyond measure. The devil wants us to worry. If we worry he has us just where he wants us to be: defeated, helpless and hopeless. First he wants us to be inundated with our own problems, then he wants us to turn our attention to the troubles of the world. He exposes us to bad news, television, Facebook and gossip. He wants us to despair and think, “What is the world coming to?” instead of, “Behold Who has come into the world: the King of Kings, the Shepherd of our souls, the Mighty God, our Great Intercessor!” Worry causes us to forget that even in the hottest trials of life Jesus is there with us ( Dan. 3:23-25). He is always with us. If we have Him, we have everything.

The Word of God tells us the kind of news that should that should occupy our minds: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Phi. 4:8). Negative information begets negative thoughts. Positive information leads to a positive mindset.  To a great measure you become what you think. As a man thinketh, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). You are controlled by what you set your mind upon. The closer we come to the end of the age, the more the world has to worry about. The more the hearts of men will fail because of fear (Luke 21:26), causing Jesus to ask the question, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) My friend set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Col. 3:2). Worry is a waste of time. One study has shown that 92% of all we worry about never comes to pass.

Let us now look at Jesus' attitude toward those who worry. In general Jesus’ first words are words of compassion, then they become words of instruction, and finally they become words of reprimand and condemnation.

Jesus' words of compassion for the worrier.

Our Lord's first words to the worrier are fear not or be not afraid. There are 198 appearances of these words in the Bible. Jesus understands that since the fall of man, every man is born a worrier - some more than others. He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psa. 103:14). Condemnation is never God's first word to man. Fear of the future, fear of the unknown, fear of hostile forces, fear of being overcome is part of fallen man's inheritance. In addition to this we inherit fears from our parents. If a father fears snakes, his son is likely to fear snakes also. If a mother is afraid of the night, her daughter may follow. By our conduct, our actions and reactions, we pass fears or faith on to our children. Jesus understands all that. In His last days before the crucifixion His disciples worried about their future. Jesus told them: Let not your heart be troubled... in my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:1, 2). These were words of compassion for their anxious souls. Jesus has a place for you too, my friend, not only in the future but even now ( Psa. 91:1).

Jesus’ words of instruction for the worrier.

One of the gems of the Sermon on the Mount is this: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  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?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature (Mat. 6: 25-27)?

Here Jesus explains the total futility of worrying.  Worry accomplishes nothing. In fact, worry is a thief. It takes you away from all the good that could have been. Therefore, it should be abandoned as soon as it seeks entrance into our hearts. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus not only appeals to the heart but He also employs the force of logic: "If I clothe the lilies and the grass what makes you think I don't care about you, who have been created just a little lower than the angels, crowned with honor and glory?" Then Jesus comes up with the best worry killer by saying: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Mat. 6: 32 -34).  Whenever worry knocks at your door you may do well by throwing these Scriptures at the devil. Jesus expects your faith to grow - if it does not it will start costing you. As long as you abide in Christ, worry will find no resting place in you.

Jesus’ words of condemnation to the worrier.

Moses sent 12 spies into the Promised Land to check it out. Two spies came back with a good report, saying, “God is able to help us take this land.” Ten spies came back worrying about their ability to slay the giants. Joshua and Caleb had their eyes on the Slayer of all giants. Because the ten let worry take them down, the Lord threatened to kill them (Deu. 1:23-35). In the Parable of the Talents, one man worried about losing his. Jesus condemned him into outer darkness (Mat. 25:25, 30). God expects you to move from worry to faith. Faith is the victory.

If you want your faith to grow, here are my best suggestions:

1. Begin to obey God in everything. Faith cannot grow in a disobedient heart. Faith    

will always crowd out worry.

2. Keep worldly influences out of your life as much as possible. Soak yourself in the things of God.

3. Cast all your care upon Him for He careth about you (1 Pet. 5:7).

4. Prolonged audible praise is one of the strongest worry killers (2 Chr. 20:15-21).

As a personal testimony whenever the devil has tried to put worry into me, I lifted my hands in loud praise and adoration to God until all worry vanished. It never took more than 20 minutes. After the first persecution of the church, knowing more was coming, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, quoting scripture, Lord thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth...Shortly thereafter the power fell (Acts 4: 24-31).

God does not worry, neither do those whose eyes are upon the Lord.