“Worry” itself is an interesting word, one that has traveled far from its origins. When “worry” first appeared in Old English (as “wrygan”), it meant, not “to fret,” but “to strangle” I find this interesting because when we become obsessed with the cares and worries of this world, it can literally strangle the life out of you. This immediately makes me think of Matthew 13:22. "The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." “Wart,” on the other hand, has meant “a small excrescence (or growth) on the skin” since it appeared in Old English from a Germanic root. Several centuries of development gave “wart” a variety of figurative meanings, including that of “a defect or unattractive feature” (as in the phrase “warts and all”) and, perhaps inevitably, “an annoying, obnoxious or insignificant person” in the 19th century. If I get real creative, I can put the two together and conclude that if we allow worry into our lives, it will strangle our joy and as a result our lives become defective and somewhat obnoxious.
This seems harsh I know. My point isn't to condemn but to make us aware of how detrimental worrying can be to our lives. It is a poison! The Bible speaks very clearly and over and over in regards to worry. Matthew 6: 25-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Worry is a feeling of uneasiness or being overly concerned about a situation or problem. The question that haunts us is "what might happen". Worry can create anxiety, panic, lack of sleep, bad eating habits, bad lifestyle habits, problems in relationships & our work.
Let's look at some scriptures to help us step away from worry. First step is to forget the past. Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Second step is to not worry about the future. I know this is difficult especially all we see in the news today. In the book of Revelation, Jesus says I am the Alpha & Omega, the First and the Last, both belong to Christ and we can find peace in knowing this. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Christ calls us to a life of peace, not worry. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." Third and last, if we let go of the past and put our future in the hands of our loving Savior, we can focus on today. Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Accept His forgiveness, trust in His hand for the future and be free of worry to live today to the fullest.
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