Is It Okay To Worry?

In order to spend more time on other writing and editing projects, I’ve had to be absent from my blog for a few months. However, yesterday, after being convicted about my tendency to worry, I decided to take the time and share a few reflections about God’s command to live a worry-free life.

It’s true. God instructs  his followers to be free from worry and anxiety. Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.”  Even though it’s worded a little differently each time, this command appears in all of the gospels. “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27.

Paul also teaches the worry-free life in his letters. “Do not be anxious about anything . . .” Philippians 4:6. The command itself is pretty clear, and, unlike some commands in Scripture, how to deal with worry is equally straightforward. Paul continues in Philippians 4:7, “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Not surprisingly, Peter echoes Paul’s solution to worry in 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves . . . casting all your anxieties  upon him, for he cares for you.” The writer of Hebrews says we can be sure of his help when we are troubled. He writes, “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear . . .” Hebrews 13:6.

By bringing our worries and cares to the Lord, we are rewarded with the strength and peace to deal with life’s inevitable anxieties. And, because God is always overflowing in his care for us, He promises to do this for us anew every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning . . .”