Everything Is Awesome & No One Is Happy The Problem With Worrying

 Everything Is Awesome & No One Is Happy

The Problem With Worrying

Opening Illustration:

One of my all time favorite comedians is Bob Newhart. In fact, I grew up watching Newhart with my parents in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Newhart had a really funny, deadpan delivery. His humor was always so self deprecating. There was one particular comedy routine that starred Bob Newhart that was both revealing and hysterical. Many of you have probably seen the clip. Newhart plays the part of a physiatrist who is meeting a first time patient. Upon meeting her he tells her that he only charges $5 for the visit, and that the visit will last no longer than 5 minutes. His patient is apprehensive but agrees to the terms. Newhart tells her to start telling him her problems. She has a terrible fear of being buried alive in a box. Her fear keeps her from entering elevators, driving through tunnels, or going into closed in spaces. This issue has been a part of her life since childhood. She also has self destructive relationships with men. She also worries about driving her car everyday. Once she has confessed all her fears, anxieties and worries, Newhart instructs her to take out a pen and a pad and write down his advice. He tells her that his advice is easy to remember. Once his patient is ready, he looks at her in the eyes and yells at her to “STOP IT”! 

“STOP IT”! That’s it. That’s the answer. All her problems can be solved with those simple two words. Just “STOP IT”. Stop being afraid. Stop worrying. Just stop it. Oh friends if it were only that easy. Fear, anxiety and worry plague all of us. As I prepared this message, I began to think back on all the pastoral counseling that I have done here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. I began to think about all the people that have come and sat on the couch in my office. All the people that have come to talk to me about their problems. I would say that some 90% of those people talked to me about their fears, anxieties or worries. I have discovered that no one is immune to worry. 

Go to God’s Word. Do you know what you will find? You will find page after page filled with people struggling with fear, anxiety and worry. If you are struggling with worry this morning, take heart, people from the very beginning of time have struggled with worry as well. 

Remember Martha? In Luke 10:40-42, we discover that Martha was worried. “Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.’ The Lord said to her in reply, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from here.’”

Remember Job? Job suffered from anxiety after many personal losses. First, he lost his material possessions, then all of his children. Then he was devastated by a grievous physical affliction. He broke out in painful boils. The Bible tells us, “Job opens his mouth and cursed the day of his birth…Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb, and expire?... Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter soul, who long for death, but there is note...[they] exalt when they find grace. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes” (Job 2:1,11,20-22,26). 

What about David? Even kings suffer with anxiety. King David was “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Israel’s most illustrious king – a giant killer from his youth – and here was also a man given to anxiety amid his suffering. As related in some of the Psalms, the anxieties of David stem from any of several probable causes. If you have ever been anxious, you know the symptoms: faintness of heart, endless days, sleepless nights, tears, obsessive fear, and numbness, to name a few. 

Oh friends I could go on and on. I want to offer you hope today if you classify yourself as an Anxious Andy or a Worry Wart. God does not want you to waste your life in worry. He wants you be set free from anxiety. Fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought”. Are you continually concerned or confidently content?

Today’s Thought:

Are You Continually Concerned or Confidently Content?

Background and Context:

If there was anyone who had a right to be worried, it was the Apostle Paul. Paul was writing this letter to the Philippians in a Roman jail. He was staring his impending death in the eye. It would not be long until Paul would be beheaded. Paul had suffered in his life. He had been shipwrecked, snake bit, left for dead, beaten, stoned, left hungry and naked, and taken prisoner. You might think that with all that Paul had been through that his life would be racked with worry…but it wasn’t. Paul’s security was found in Jesus Christ. He knew that God was in control and that any worry that he had could be taken care of by God Himself. Paul wanted to encourage his beloved Philippians by telling them not to worry about anything. Anything! The Greek word for “anything” is may-dice' and it means, nobody, no one, nothing. Imagine never being worried about nobody, no one, nothing. Imagine how freeing that would be to literally never worry about anything ever again. Still, as Christians we worry about losing our jobs, our finances, our children, how we will provide for our families and the like. Brothers and sisters, I pray that today’s message from God’s Word gives you clarity on how you can whip worry, abolish anxiety, and force fear from your life. Let’s read together from God’s Word, Philippians 4:5-6 from the English Standard Version.

Today’s Scripture:

Philippians 4:5-6 NLT

5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. 

Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, 

pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Quote:

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength”

-Corrie Ten Boom

I. Why Do We Worry?

A. We Are Careless (Forgetful)

Point:

We worry because we forget about God’s power. We forget what He’s capable of and we start to believe we must take care of things ourselves. We start panicking that we’re on our own, and we might not be able to handle it. You know what? We can’t handle it. It’s why we need Him. God wants us to realize and admit our weakness so He can be strong on our behalf.

God often wants to do through us, what is beyond us. So when you’re faced with a situation in which you feel weak or powerless, rather than worry, call upon the Only One who takes care of the situation. God’s power to take care of whatever concerns you is there for the asking. We must first humble ourselves, admit we are powerless and ask for His power. James 4:10 states: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

David the Psalmist said in Psalm 18:35 says “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And your gentleness makes me great” (NASB).

That verse illustrates the gentleness of God that empowers us when we’re weak and when we call upon Him for help in whatever it is that we need to do. He stoops down from heaven to where we are and makes us great. He is able to do through us what is beyond us. Whatever your circumstance, if you’re feeling weak and full of worry right now, His power is available to you for the asking.

Jeremiah 18:15 NIV

Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up.

B. We Are Confused  (Doubting)

Point:

At the root of all of our “What if” questions and worries is what we really believe about God. When our minds play through the various what-ifs…the question we are really asking is “What if God isn’t capable and what if God can’t handle this?”

There is a reason God’s Word tells us clearly not to worry. Philippians 4:6-7  in the New Living Translation says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

As you give God all of your what-ifs, worries, and anxieties, He can calm your heart, give you His peace, and remind you that He is in absolute control.

One of the most common points of confusion about God is that He is distant, that He has left us alone, fending for ourselves…or we will have to deal with life on our own. Or perhaps we worry for someone else because we fear they are alone. But when we do that, we’ve clearly forgotten God’s presence – that He’s right here with us, going before us, walking alongside us, and watching our backs.

In Psalm 139:7 David asks “Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee your presence?” And then he answers his question by explaining the staying power of God’s presence:

“If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,'
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you" (verses 8-12, NIV).

Basically, the God of the Universe won’t let us out of His protective sight. That’s one incredible thought. That’s one comforting thought. And that should keep you from worrying. When you’re tempted to fret that you are alone in your worrisome situation, remember His presence. And start talking to Him as if He’s right here. Because He is.

Numbers 14:11 ESV

And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

C. We Are Controlling

Point:

It is in our human nature to try to control our lives and the lives of everyone else around us. We believe, at times, that it’s up to us to right all wrongs and fix all things broken. But only God can restore the broken, heal the hurting, and bring ultimate justice.

After a season of life in which he was convinced he had no control over what God had clearly allowed, Job said: “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted (42:1). And in case God’s people became prideful and started to think their victories were at their own hands, the Psalmist corrected them when he sang: “It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them” (Psalm 44:3). 

Worry dissolves as you surrender to God and admit you are not in control of anything– He is.

Job 38:3-7 NKJV

3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

II. How Can We Whip Worry? Follow Paul’s Prescription!

A. Pray vs. 6

Work doesn’t keep you up at night; worry does.

God clearly states in the Bible what he thinks about worry. Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything” (NLT). Paul goes on to say that we should pray about everything. When we pray to God, it helps us let go of our worries. One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. Max Lucado has a famous statement about worry. 

“No one can pray and worry at the same time.”

Max Lucado 

Paul command us to pray. Praying reminds us how unworthy worry is for our time. When we pray it helps us let go of our worries. Why do you need to let go of your worry?

Worry is unreasonable. Here are a couple of reasons why that’s true. First, worry exaggerates the problem. Have you noticed if somebody says something bad about you, the more you think about it, the bigger it gets? Second, worry doesn’t work. To worry about something you can’t change is useless. And to worry about something you can change is a waste of time. Just go change it!

Worry is unnatural. No one is a born worrier. You might think you are, but you’re not. Worry is something you learned. Since worry is unnatural, it’s also unhealthy. Your body wasn’t designed to handle worry. When people say, “I’m worried sick,” they’re telling the truth. Doctors say a lot of people could leave the hospital today if they knew how to get rid of guilt, resentment, and worry. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body” (NLT).

Worry is unhelpful. Worry cannot change the past, and worry cannot control the future. All it does is mess up today. The only thing that worry changes is you. It makes you miserable! It’s never solved a problem.

Worry is unnecessary. God made you, he created you, he saved you, and he put his Spirit in you. Don’t you think he’s going to take care of your needs? There’s no need to worry.

The first step in stress management is to refuse to worry about anything. Why? Because it’s unreasonable, unnatural, unhelpful, and unnecessary.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7 ESV, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

God personally cares about you and for your needs. So all those things you’re stressed, anxious, and worried about? Let them go. Give them to God.

Psalm 34:17 ESV

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

B. Point Our Your Needs vs. 6

Point:

Paul, after commanding us to pray, reminds us that we should tell God what we need. 

God made everything. Everything you see and everything you can’t see. Everything on Earth and in the universe beyond. God is the source of every good thing. And you can depend on him.

As you depend on God to be your source for everything, remember four truths.

Every good thing is a gift from God. You didn’t earn anything. It’s all a gift of God’s grace. If God didn’t want to give it, you wouldn’t have it.

The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17 NIV). That’s why the third phrase of the Lord’s Prayer starts with the word “give”—“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 ESV).  Why? Because you can’t earn the things God gives you—they’re gifts from him.

There’s nothing you need that God can’t provide. You don’t know what you’ll need tomorrow or the rest of this year. But whatever it is, God has the power to supply it.

The Bible says in Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (ESV). “Glorious riches” means God is lavish with what he provides. He has unlimited resources.

God wants to give you everything you need. Matthew 7:11 says, “If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (NIV). It makes God happy to meet your every need.

God is waiting on you. If you have needs in your life that aren’t being met, it may be that God is waiting on you to ask! The problem isn’t that God doesn’t want to meet your need; the problem could be that you haven’t asked him to. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (NIV).

What or who have you been counting on to meet your needs? If it’s anything other than God, turn that around today. Trust God to be your source for everything.

Philippians 4:19 ESV

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

C. Praise vs. 6

Point:

We defeat worry, according to Paul when we pray, when we tell God our needs, and when we thank Him for everything. 

Experts say that the attitude you have for the day is set in the first eight minutes of your day. Do you want to grumble, gripe, and grunt your way through the day, or do you want to be grateful?

The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).

Gratitude gets you to focus on your loving Father who meets all your needs.

Don’t start your day with confession or requests. Start with gratitude. Think about God and his goodness. Tell him he’s a good Father, thanking him for being caring, close, and consistent. List the ways he’s been good to you. Tell him what you’re thankful for: running water, bed and a blanket, a warm house when it’s cold and a cold house when it’s hot outside. You don’t have to worry about the right thing to say. Just say what you feel and what’s on your mind.

One of the ways you can start your day with thankfulness is to make a playlist of songs. Choose songs of gratitude that remind you of who God is and what he has done for you. Turn it on as soon as you open your eyes so that your first thoughts are grateful. Worship is the best way to wake up!

You can also make a list of the things you’re thankful for and keep it near your bed or wherever you have a quiet time. A gratitude list can help keep you focused on God’s goodness, and then you can pour out your heart to him in thanks.

When you wake every morning, make sure the first thing you’re doing is thanking God for his consistent love and recalling all the ways that he’s good to you.

Get up with gratitude. It will change everything about your day!

Psalm 100:4 ESV

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Conclusion:

Don’t you wish that “Stop It” would work in canceling all of our concerns. On Wednesday night, I told those who were in attendance in our prayer meeting that I was preaching today on the subject of worry. Suzanne Cobb, at the close of the service, gave me a new definition of worry. She said that when we speak God’s name in a flippant manner, we take His name in vain. She said when we worry, we take God’s promises in vain. Isn’t that smart. Friends, don’t worry…trust. Trust in God. He is powerful enough for your problems.

Turn This Information Into Your Inspiration!