Worries and Fears

As we think through the many activities we go through as women on a daily basis (pg 41, intro) we find ourselves feeling pretty comfortable with juggling all those activities. However, as our mind begins to move us into the realm of our tomorrows we find the emotions of worry, anxiety and sometimes even fear beginning to grip us.

We can run through our minds those events we are most likely to be most anxious about: I hope it doesn’t rain for Saturday’s game. I hope my new boss isn’t a tyrant. I hope whoever buys the house next door doesn’t have any rowdy teenagers. Do I need to get a part time job to make ends meet? I bet all the kids needs braces. What if the house burns down? What if the plane crashes? I wonder if we have enough life insurance. What if I lose my job? What if it’s cancer? Will we ever pay off the second mortgage. Do we have enough money for retirement?
We can run just about any kind of anxious thought through our minds on a daily basis but we do well to be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: “Do not worry for tomorrow, today has enough worries of its own.”

Below is a handout from Bible study taken from "Feelings and Faith" by Brian S. Borgman. Read through them and see if each description of worry, anxiety and fear fit some of your own experiences.

The Overlapping Emotions of Worry, Anxiety and Fear

Worry
To worry is to feel uneasy or anxious about something. There are troubling thoughts associated with worry.
Anxiety
Anxiety looks like worry amped up a few volts. There is mental and emotional distress. There is an uneasiness of mind caused by uncertainty.
Fear
Fear is the emotion of serious distress which is aroused by impending danger, evil or pain, whether real or imagined. Fear makes us feel helpless. Fear hauntingly reminds us we are not in control and there is nothing we can do about it.

Can you relate? So could King David from Psalms 55:4-5 (pg 42, #1). He speaks of the anguish within him and how the terrors of death had fallen all about him; fear and trembling had come upon him and horror had overwhelmed him. One translation even states it as “My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking.” We can certainly relate in regards to all those fearful emotions that grip us on occasion.

But David also reminds us in Psalm 139:23 of the practice of asking God to search his heart and reveal to himself any sin, even sin such as worry, anxiety and fear. Knowing that our worry is truly sin to God because it is absolutely contrary to trusting God, David goes on to say in verse 24, “See if there is any hurtful or offensive way in me and lead me in the everlasting way”. The hurtful part is certainly obvious in the fact that our worries affect us physically as we find ourselves with many side effects such as headaches, sweaty palms, rapid heart rate when our concerns become major worries. We also know from research that many times, if left unchecked, our worries can lead us down a path of more serious side effects and the loss of our health. But hurtful ways also affect us spiritually as they are dangerous to our relationship with God; not in losing the relationship if we are true born again followers but hurtful in the sense of putting a sad wedge between ourselves and Him and possibly incurring His discipline.

When looking at the offensive way of verse 24, consider the fact that it is definitely offensive to our God for us to meditate on all our worries instead of trusting Him. Think for a moment how you would feel if your child had a major concern and that child decided to turn to someone else to meet their needs instead of you. You would be hurt, you would be offended. Likewise God, the One who promises to love you with an everlasting love is offended when we choose worry over trust of Him and His faithfulness. God wants to, as indicated in the last part of verse 24, lead us in His everlasting way, His healthy way, His best way.

Allow God to do as David did, to speak the truth to your heart about those things spiritually and physically unhealthy for you. And then ask Him to take that burden of sin off of you so you can trust Him fully for everything. Follow these words from Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid I will put my trust in You.”

In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us we need not worry about clothing, food, all the necessities of life. When we seek Him first (vs 33) and all His righteousness, His kingdom, His purpose, we can, as His children, know He will provide. This is not limited to just the tangible needs of our day. This extends also to all your "God known needs" like strength, peace, wisdom, comfort, etc.

I shared in class Thursday, a few of the numerous times God has revealed his goodness to my family through His providence. Even when I showed a lack of faith He remained faithful. One such time was years ago when I was preparing to go to the store with a rather large grocery list. My husband came home with cash in hand after depositing his paycheck in the bank. Unfortunately, instead of the $300 I was expecting he handed me $115. I would like to say I was grateful for the little bit of money that was placed in my hand but instead I have to admit I was angry and frustrated. I had no idea how I was going to get groceries for my family of five for the next few weeks on a measly $115. And I told God so. As I drove to the store, list in hand, I didn’t do as any woman of faith should do, “God, please help me stretch this $115 ” or “God, you are the God that provides. I will trust You.” Oh no, not Edna. She had to be rude, disrespectful and untrusting to the God who always proved Himself faithful to her in the past.

As I wandered through the store, (still frustrated by the way), taking things off the shelf to put into my cart, putting some back, I was trying to figure out, 'should I get this item this month or wait till next month. How much can I stretch this rice? Should I skip the fresh fruit this month?' Etc. etc. etc.

As I placed my items on the counter I was still quite frustrated. My list still had many things yet not crossed off and as I watched the groceries one by one go through the scanner I wondered once again how I was going to feed my family on so little. As the last item ran through and the checker totaled my bill I was more than stunned when she announced my total as $115, nothing less, nothing more. I can’t even really express my emotions of that moment. They were certainly different than just a few moments earlier.

As I loaded my bags humbly into the car and headed home I broke into tears. I was, needless to say, very ashamed of my behavior toward my faithful God, ashamed of my lack of trust. He allowed me my ranting and raving, all the while knowing He was going to be loading my cart up with what He knew I would need for my family, knowing it would be His way of proving Himself to me once again. It occurs to me as of this writing that I was asking the wrong question, “How was I going to feed my family, meet their needs?” It never has been and never will be me or another human being who ultimately meets me and my family’s needs. It is He and He alone that knows my need and meets it by His wisdom, power and love.

And I am in awe of the grace of our God. When His kids so foolishly decide to worry and refuse to trust Him, He lovingly disciplines us and reminds us of His goodness toward us. I learned a powerful lesson that day. My God can and will provide.

God knows your needs as well and promises in Philippians 4:19 that He will “supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Keva Farney reminded us last week through her testimony that God desires to reveal Himself to us in our daily walk with Him if we would but choose to turn to Him. Do you need hope, wisdom, strength, guidance, peace? You need not worry, just trust His love and care for you. When He knows you have a need which needs to be met instantly He will meet it instantly. When He knows that need is one he can use to help you grow in Him He may prolong meeting that need so that He might work something in your heart and your character. Either way, instantaneously or prolonged He will be faithful to meet your need in His timing and in His way.

Be reminded of the words of Jesus in John 14:27 as He tells His disciples of His soon departure, “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Jesus had it all covered. He was reassuring His disciples then and us, His disciples today, that even though He would be departing soon He would be leaving something extremely wonderful in their (our) possession. It would be His Holy Spirit which is representative of His peace. Why would they (we) need to be troubled and fearful. They (we) would have His Spirit as not only a pledge of their (our) faith in Him but all the blessings of Himself, including peace within them (us).

Doesn't it make sense? If God was willing to give up His greatest treasure, His Son, to meet our greatest need for reconciliation and eternal life with Him we could trust Him to meet every other need thereafter? It’s easy for Him to provide; it’s hard for us to trust He will provide, even after all He has already done.

Let today be the day you stop worrying and begin to trust Him, for He will, as promised “supply all your needs in Christ Jesus, according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”