It seems to be that worrying and being anxious just comes natural to human beings. It’s almost as if we try to find things to worry about. Worrying is a habit. When things don’t go according to plan we worry. When we are thinking or waiting on something we get very anxious about them. Marcus Aurelius once said,

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” – Meditations. In other words, don’t worry about what will happen because you will deal with it the same way you deal with all the other problems. Besides Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34 to not worry about anything. (“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”) But why is it so hard and how can we put an end to anxiousness?

The words worry and anxious are two words that are similar in meaning. Worrying is an action, it means “to torment oneself with cares, and anxieties.” But anxious means “mental distress”. Worrying (you could say) is distressing about something or someone. It is very easy for me to say “don’t worry about anything”, but i for one know it is not easy not to worry when something comes up. The prophet Jeremiah gives us a vision as to why we don’t need to worry, even in difficult times. Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” We need to be just like that tree in the worst situations it could come up against, it had no worries. It had confidence that the stream would provide for its needs. He says if we trust in the Lord through all things and have confidence in him we will be like that tree.

Jesus tells us straight out that there is no need to worry. Luke 12:24-26 “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Jesus gives a very good point here at the end. He says “Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest” What he’s saying here is that if God can handle the little things for little animals. Don’t you think that he will handle the big things for us? I think so! Christ said that we are much more valuable than birds, so God will take care of us.

We only seem to worry about the things that are detrimental to us in some way. It wouldn’t make sense to worry about things that are good or that we like would it? Christ Jesus tells us good or bad to cast all our cares on him. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” God cares for you so give your cares, your worries, and your anxieties to him. Jesus will give us rest when we need it. (Matthew 11:28) Without Christ we can’t do anything so we must rely on him. John 15:5 says “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Now that we clearly have stated that we should not worry how do we do that. Well to get rid of something bad we have to replace it with something good. That is prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 says “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.” Prayer is how we cast our cares on him and  that’s how we ask him to help us with not worrying.

In conclusion of our study, worrying isn’t the best thing to do. Lots of people say not to worry, but many don’t actually know how not to worry. To not worry, we have to pray. Cast our worries on him. Prayer is the answer to our worries.