The Cure for Worry

Something that's been on my mind a lot lately is worry and it's relationship to fear. I once heard a pastor assert that worry is one of the most pervasive sins in our culture today and I'm inclined to agree with him. It seems that almost everyone I'm close to is plagued by at least a few things they are worried about. Some people I know become paralyzed by worry, avoiding even healthy risks and always staying within their comfort zone. Others I know become controlling, believing that as long as they stay on top of the situation they can prevent their worries from coming true. At the first sign of losing control, they feel exposed and express their worry in the form of anger. Still others choose to become numb, trying to convince themselves that if they don't care about anyone or anything then they won't have to deal with worry at all.

If we're honest with ourselves, when we worry about something what we are really saying is, "I fear this happening." When we say that, what we're thinking on a deeper level (whether we realize it or not) is, "I distrust God because He might allow this happen." And if we're REALLY honest with ourselves, what we're ultimately believing is, "I know better than God what is good for me. He's holding out on me." If that concept sounds familiar, it's because it has been around since the Garden of Eden. Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the "worry" that God was holding out on them, that He was not sharing with them the knowledge and the good that they so deserved.

My friend and I have been doing the Esther study by Beth Moore and one of the most influential and empowering topics she discussed was fear. Beth explained that it's not enough for us to go through life with conditional faith, only trusting God as long as he keeps our worst fears from happening. Conditional faith leaves us in the tight fist of fear and turns us into beggars before our God, pleading for his protection, instead of us living in the restful knowledge that we are his dearly beloved children. Beth guided us through the process of facing our fears by filling in "if _______, then _______" statements.

Let me give an example. For a long time, I was plagued by the fear of being tortured for the name of Christ. My if/then statements would look like this:
          What if I was threatened with horrible torture for being a Christian?
          Then God would give me the strength I needed to endure it.
          What if I died while being tortured?
          Then God would bring me home to be with Him and would comfort my family. God could use my death to convict my torturers and they may choose to follow Jesus as well.

Some if/then statements have many more layers to work through:
          What if we get pregnant but I end up having a miscarriage?
          Then I would be really sad and I would cry a lot for our loss.
          Then what?
          I would need to find comforting Bible verses to meditate on.
          Then what?
           I would have to spend a lot of time praying with Robbie and working through our pain together.
          Then what?
          I would eventually begin to heal and would seek out other women who had miscarriages.
          Then what?
          God would be able to use me to help comfort those other women.

The point Beth Moore was trying to make is that if God allows what we fear to happen, then He has a reason and a purpose in it and He can turn around anything to be used for our good and for His glory.

So what's the cure for worry? It's knowing in the deepest part of who we are that the God who spoke the universe into being is also our Father who cares for us more deeply than we could possibly imagine. If the worst happens, then God will come through for us. Believing anything less leaves us as slaves.

"No one can be a slave to two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money. This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?" -Matthew 6:24-27

"Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

 "Do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold onto you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

"Now this is what the LORD says--the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel--"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire and the flame will not burn you." -Isaiah 43:1-2