Jesus is asking which of you by worrying is going to change
anything. Luke records, "Therefore, I say unto you, Take no
thought for your life...." (Luke 12:22).
Paul said in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing...." The
Amplified Bible reads, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about
anything ...." Too many times people want to pray and get God
to do something about their anxieties. But God tells you to do
something about them. He said, "Be careful for nothing." Or,
"Don't you fret or have anxiety about anything."
As long as you do not take this first step—as long as you fret
and have anxiety—you are nullifying the effects of your prayer.
You haven't cast your burden on the Lord. You still have it. And
if you have it, God doesn't.
Casting all your care on Him isn't something you do every
day. It's a once-and-for-all proposition. This puts your situation
in His hands. The Lord could do a lot for us, but often we don't
let Him because we don't follow His rules that govern the
operation of prayer. We don't do what He tells us to do. Then we
wonder why things don't work out.
If you cast your burden on the Lord, He has it. You don't.
You cannot go around talking about your worries anymore.
A lot
of people don't want to get rid of their worries. They claim they
do, but they really don't. If they got rid of them, they wouldn't
have any reason for people to sympathize with them. They
wouldn't have anything to talk about. They would have to cease
conversation entirely.
Years ago, when I was on the bed of sickness, this was the
first thing God began to deal with me about. I had to quit
worrying before I could receive healing for my body. This is the reason a lot of people are not healed. Sometimes worry is what is
keeping them sick. Any disappearance of the symptoms would
only be temporary because the cause of the sickness is still
there.
You may think a 15-year-old boy couldn't worry. But
children are replicas of their parents, and my grandmother and
mother were world-champion worriers.
As a child, I knew they
were always worrying. I had a heart condition, and I couldn't go
out to run and play like other children. I had to stay in with my
mother and grandmother. Hearing them complain and worry, I
learned to worry at a very early age.
While on the bed of sickness, I got saved, and I promised
God I would never doubt anything I read in His Word. I further
said, "As I read the Word and better understand it, I promise to
put it into practice."
I read the 26th verse in Matthew 6, "Take no thought for
your life...." The Bible I was reading had a footnote that told me
the Greek read, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow."
Another
reference said, "Do not worry, do not be filled with anxiety." I
was full of anxiety, worry, and fear. Not only was I nearly dead,
but also I was about to worry myself the rest of the way to my
grave!
My conscience bothered me because I was not practising the
Word. As the Lord dealt with me, the words seemed to leap from
the pages of the Bible. Yet I didn't think I could live without
worrying—without being anxious—so I closed my Bible. When
I did, I got in darkness. I opened the Word again and tried to
read, bypassing that Scripture.
Until then, everything I'd read had been all light and
blessing, but now it was all dark and fuzzy to me.
You're not
going to get more light (or understanding) until you walk in the
light you already have. Don't be concerned about the things you
don't understand in God's Word; make sure you practice what
you do know. The rest will take care of itself.
You Don't Have To Worry I read on. I even studied about the Antichrist. (That certainly
was not what was bothering me.) But I felt guilty because I was
not practising the Word.
Finally, I made a commitment to God.
I said, "Lord, forgive me for worrying and for being full of
anxiety. Forgive me for fretting and for being discouraged.
Forgive me for having the blues and feeling sorry for myself.
Forgive me for having a 'poor old me' attitude. I know You'll
forgive me because You said You would if I would confess it.
From this day on, because You've forgiven me, I promise I'll
never worry again. I'll never be filled with anxiety again. I'll
never be blue again. I'll never fret again. I'll never be
discouraged again."
Many years have passed since I made that commitment.
Although I'll confess I've been sorely tempted, just like you
have, I have not worried. I haven't been filled with anxiety at any
time or become overly anxious. I haven't had the blues in all
these years! God's Word works. I wouldn't encourage you to do
anything I wouldn't do or haven't done.
When I was 21 years old, I was pastor of a church which
was 23 years old. There were people in that church who had had
the baptism of the Holy Spirit two years longer than I had lived.
You can understand why I would feel insufficient. The church
had problems, and I knew something should be said, but I didn't
know what to say. I knew if I said anything, I would say the
wrong thing.
I prayed, "Lord, there are problems here. I don't know what
to do. I feel so inadequate." I could sense the Spirit of God
reminding me of the Scripture, "Casting all your cares upon
him; for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
I said, "Lord, I know I have responsibilities as a pastor, but I'm
going to turn this over to You. I'm not going to worry. I'm going
to preach the Word and leave everything else to You."
My burden lifted and I went singing on my way to church.
God met us and marvellous things happened.
FFT: "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything ...."
ACTION POINT: Be determined to cast all your cares on Him, once and for all!
INTERACTIVE SESSION: What is your commitment in regards to this charge (share your comment below)
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