Removing the Buttons Part Nine - Do Not Worry
What makes you worry? What makes you stressed? What gives you that oh-I'm-going-to-be-sick feeling in the pit of your stomach?
Worry is very real, not only for adults as they look at taxes, retirement, jobs, and budgets. But it's also real for teenage girls, who deal with friend drama, boy drama, teacher drama, llama drama (just kidding; it's just a funny thing to say), college, driving, money, jobs, and more. I very vividly remember having some drama in my life in high school, sharing it with a trusted adult, and having her tell me, "That's nothing to worry about."
But she was wrong. It was.
Just because a worry isn't an "adult" worry doesn't mean you're not allowed to worry about it. The worries in your life are very real, very stressful, and very life-changing.
BUT...Jesus talked about it in the Sermon on the Mount:
"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25, NIV.)
If we pull out the main command it says this: Do not worry about your life or your body.
And all the high school girls say, "Yeah, right."
And all the adult women say, "Yeah, right."
(And all the teenage boys say, "I wasn't worried." Seriously, boys as a general rule do not have a worry complex.)
It's like this passage was written intentionally for women: we worry. About our life: what we'll do today, tomorrow, next year, in 5 years; about what we eat, what we look like, and what we wear; about what we will do for a job, a husband, and a fallback plan; about what other people think about us, who likes us, who loves us, and who we are, really. About what we wear, not just to prom and our wedding and graduation but every single day because you never know when someone will take a picture that everyone remembers.
But Jesus says not to worry.
"But if I don't worry," you think, "I won't do well in Senior English, I won't do well in college, I won't choose the right path, I won't get a good job, and I'll wear nothing but t-shirts and yoga pants."
Maybe. And though Jesus says not to worry, you've got to keep reading to understand why you shouldn't worry:
"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...See the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin...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, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:26-30, various, italics mine.)
Now of course you know this passage--because it's in the Sermon on the Mount--is not only about you and your worry; it's about your heart. Jesus says that people who worry about food, drink, and clothes have little faith.
And your worry reflects your faith in God. (OUCH.)
Let's keep going:
"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," (Matthew 6:31-33.)
3 Reasons Not To Worry
1. We don't worry about clothes and food because that's what everybody else ("the pagans") will worry about. And we are salt and light. (See Removing the Buttons Intro.) We're not going to be like everybody else.
2. God knows what we need. We need food, water, and clothing. And I bet you have them. Maybe not the exact food, water, and clothing you want. God's not really focused on your wants; but He is all over your needs. And what you need more than anything is HIM. Not just in the big stuff; in the little things. Just like Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, "Give us today our daily bread," (Matthew 6:11) [more on that in a few days], we need to be in the ongoing mindset that God alone knows what we need and will give us what we need today, allowing us to trust Him for tomorrow.
3. Our focus should be on His Kingdom and His righteousness. Very bluntly, if not having a certain food or drink or clothing in your life causes you stress, you don't have a Kingdom mindset. You're living for today, for the world, for yourself. And your focus should be on eternity.
When we worry we are not trusting God with the outcome. We believe either He doesn't know, doesn't care, or doesn't have the power to act. Our worry reveals our lack of faith.
So what's a worrier to do?
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV.)
When you feel worry creeping in, follow the steps in the verses above:
A) Rejoice. Find something to be joyful about.
B) Be "gentle." The word for gentle in these verses is also translated moderate, considerate, patient, gracious, unselfish, reasonable. Basically, demonstrate kindness even when you want to be stressed out. Because you are trusting God :)
C) Know God is near. Grab your Bible or your nearest Bible app on your phone and dive into the Word. Get His Word in your heart and your mouth immediately.
D) Pray. Not just about the thing that worries you. But thanking God for answering that request before you even utter the words.
E) Step out in faith, knowing that He RULES. Everything. For you and everyone and the entire universe. He's got this. He's got this. You don't. But He does. When you trust Him and choose to have faith instead of worry, He will fill you with His peace.
And when you stop worrying, you show others what real faith is.
Need a quick review of the Sermon on the Mount?
1. Be weird.
2. Forgive.
3. Bounce.
4. Speak Truth.
5. Don't slap back.
6. Agape.
7. Be righteous secretly.
8. Fill your heart with eternity.
9. Don't worry.
No buttons; just keeping that heart healthy :)
If any of these don't immediately remind you of Jesus' teachings (or my weird way of explaining them), please read them in the earlier posts below.
And PLEASE subscribe if you haven't. Put your email address in the box at the top right, then follow the instructions when you get an email about subscribing.
Leslie
myleslienotebook@gmail.com
Worry is very real, not only for adults as they look at taxes, retirement, jobs, and budgets. But it's also real for teenage girls, who deal with friend drama, boy drama, teacher drama, llama drama (just kidding; it's just a funny thing to say), college, driving, money, jobs, and more. I very vividly remember having some drama in my life in high school, sharing it with a trusted adult, and having her tell me, "That's nothing to worry about."
But she was wrong. It was.
Just because a worry isn't an "adult" worry doesn't mean you're not allowed to worry about it. The worries in your life are very real, very stressful, and very life-changing.
BUT...Jesus talked about it in the Sermon on the Mount:
"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25, NIV.)
If we pull out the main command it says this: Do not worry about your life or your body.
And all the high school girls say, "Yeah, right."
And all the adult women say, "Yeah, right."
(And all the teenage boys say, "I wasn't worried." Seriously, boys as a general rule do not have a worry complex.)
It's like this passage was written intentionally for women: we worry. About our life: what we'll do today, tomorrow, next year, in 5 years; about what we eat, what we look like, and what we wear; about what we will do for a job, a husband, and a fallback plan; about what other people think about us, who likes us, who loves us, and who we are, really. About what we wear, not just to prom and our wedding and graduation but every single day because you never know when someone will take a picture that everyone remembers.
But Jesus says not to worry.
"But if I don't worry," you think, "I won't do well in Senior English, I won't do well in college, I won't choose the right path, I won't get a good job, and I'll wear nothing but t-shirts and yoga pants."
Maybe. And though Jesus says not to worry, you've got to keep reading to understand why you shouldn't worry:
"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...See the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin...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, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:26-30, various, italics mine.)
Now of course you know this passage--because it's in the Sermon on the Mount--is not only about you and your worry; it's about your heart. Jesus says that people who worry about food, drink, and clothes have little faith.
And your worry reflects your faith in God. (OUCH.)
Let's keep going:
"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," (Matthew 6:31-33.)
3 Reasons Not To Worry
1. We don't worry about clothes and food because that's what everybody else ("the pagans") will worry about. And we are salt and light. (See Removing the Buttons Intro.) We're not going to be like everybody else.
2. God knows what we need. We need food, water, and clothing. And I bet you have them. Maybe not the exact food, water, and clothing you want. God's not really focused on your wants; but He is all over your needs. And what you need more than anything is HIM. Not just in the big stuff; in the little things. Just like Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, "Give us today our daily bread," (Matthew 6:11) [more on that in a few days], we need to be in the ongoing mindset that God alone knows what we need and will give us what we need today, allowing us to trust Him for tomorrow.
3. Our focus should be on His Kingdom and His righteousness. Very bluntly, if not having a certain food or drink or clothing in your life causes you stress, you don't have a Kingdom mindset. You're living for today, for the world, for yourself. And your focus should be on eternity.
When we worry we are not trusting God with the outcome. We believe either He doesn't know, doesn't care, or doesn't have the power to act. Our worry reveals our lack of faith.
So what's a worrier to do?
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV.)
When you feel worry creeping in, follow the steps in the verses above:
A) Rejoice. Find something to be joyful about.
B) Be "gentle." The word for gentle in these verses is also translated moderate, considerate, patient, gracious, unselfish, reasonable. Basically, demonstrate kindness even when you want to be stressed out. Because you are trusting God :)
C) Know God is near. Grab your Bible or your nearest Bible app on your phone and dive into the Word. Get His Word in your heart and your mouth immediately.
D) Pray. Not just about the thing that worries you. But thanking God for answering that request before you even utter the words.
E) Step out in faith, knowing that He RULES. Everything. For you and everyone and the entire universe. He's got this. He's got this. You don't. But He does. When you trust Him and choose to have faith instead of worry, He will fill you with His peace.
And when you stop worrying, you show others what real faith is.
Need a quick review of the Sermon on the Mount?
1. Be weird.
2. Forgive.
3. Bounce.
4. Speak Truth.
5. Don't slap back.
6. Agape.
7. Be righteous secretly.
8. Fill your heart with eternity.
9. Don't worry.
No buttons; just keeping that heart healthy :)
If any of these don't immediately remind you of Jesus' teachings (or my weird way of explaining them), please read them in the earlier posts below.
And PLEASE subscribe if you haven't. Put your email address in the box at the top right, then follow the instructions when you get an email about subscribing.
Leslie
myleslienotebook@gmail.com
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