By Joseph Perry

Are you one who is always worrying? Are you tired of worrying?

Some people worry themselves to death, and some people worry others to death. But people worry about a lot of things, and then there’s a group who worries about everything. They worry constantly about what’s going on with their job. They are worrying about their bills. We have parents and grandparents worrying about sending their kids to school. Everywhere you turn, there are people worried about their health issues. The world, and all of its troubles, brings about a worrying of terrorists in various places. Sad to say, there are people who worry about what others think about them. We are challenged with this word called “worry.”

In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to worry. Jesus tells us three times to stop it. We need to just stop worrying about everything.

What is worry? It means to be detached or unraveled about something. To be controlled by your circumstance. Worrying can have you so mentally out of place that you can’t focus on the day-to-day activities. It’s a difference in being worried and being concerned. One is feeling like you are out of control, while the other is being in control and dealing with it. We can’t allow worry to dictate to us how we are going to live.

All of nature depends on God alone. If the Lord is Lord over your life, you shouldn’t be worried about how things will turn out in life. Your Heavenly Father knows already what you have need of in all these areas. You don’t have to worry about how the necessities of life are going to be worked out for you. Why? Because God already knows what you have to handle in your life. We need to give God a chance to do what He’s able to do. He’s the one with all power. Everything is in His hand. This is our Father’s world. He controls all things.

We must seek God First. The Bible says seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. When we put Him first, He will add whatever we need after that. He desires that He be first in all of our lives. We don’t have to make anything happen; He has the power to do it. Don’t worry about tomorrow, because each day will take care of itself. You need to plan for tomorrow, but do not worry about tomorrow. All I’m saying is you need to stop worrying. Because if the birds of the air can trust Him, and if the flowers of the fields can trust Him, then why can’t you? If the disciples can trust Him through a little boy who used two fishes and a few pieces of bread; if a widow can trust Him when she had only one meal left; if Moses could trust Him when he and the Isrealites were getting ready to cross the Red Sea, then why can’t you? God can be trusted; you can lean on Him; you can have confidence in Him each and every day, along life’s way. He won’t ever let you down.

 

The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Perry is pastor of St. Mark AME Zion Church. Contact him at josephp134@gmail.com.