Worry Is Useless!
Dr. George Henderson has said that “one of the most common causes of nervous exhaustion is to attempt to live three days in one. When one lives in a state of constant remorse because of past sins and perpetually worries about the trials and responsibilities that may come tomorrow, and he finds that the tasks and obligations of the day must be discharged, the natural result is a mind overwrought.”
There is a host of people who live this way. Actually, it is difficult trying to live without knowing peace and satisfaction. To add to the misery, with constant worry we are also plagued by habitual fear.
Usually people worry because they have not experienced the peace of God that passeth all understanding. All they have to rely on is their own ingenuity and ability which are rarely enough. They know nothing of God’s marvelous provision because they do not know Christ personally.
Surprisingly, there are many of God’s people who worry. I hope you are not one of them. If you are, learn a lesson from the pearl. Do you know the pearl is the first jewel mentioned in the oldest writings available? The pearl is a ready-made gem. It does not require the cutting and polishing other gems do before they look brilliant. It is beautiful without any help from human hands. Years ago, there were no instruments such as we have for cutting and polishing precious stones now. So the pearl was considered the queen of gems.
Long ago, people felt that pearls were drops of dew made solid. They said that these drops of dew fell from heaven. But how the drops of drew got into the oyster shell, they couldn’t explain. Of course, we know better. We know that when an oyster shell is open, a tiny grain of sand floats in which causes the oyster to feel just as we do when something gets in our eye. The oyster does the same thing we do in the same circumstance. It sheds a tear.
The oyster tears are not like our tears, a mixture of salt and water, they are liquid-carbonate of lime. This hardens into a layer of what is known as nacre or mother of pearl, the same material as that with which the oyster has already lined its shell. The creature is not content with one covering on the top of the grit but deposits covering after covering until there is a glistening knob fastened to the shell, resulting in what is known as a blister pearl.
Now what is the lesson God has for us in the pearl? Each day, there are gritty things that come into our lives. Some people complain about them, others collapse under the strain. But there are those who cover them over with the presence of the Lord. Each time they are prone to be concerned or tempted to worry, they call upon the Lord personally to undertake for them. A new covering is made, until in time that which appears to be gritty and disturbing is covered over by the grace of Almighty God. This is how Paul bore his thorn in the flesh. First he sought release from it. But God had a better plan. God said to Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee. And so hour by hour, day by day, month by month, year by year, Paul covered the thorn with the grace of Almighty God. Thus, he was able to keep pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. You and I can face life in the same manner. We need not be bogged down by care and worry, for such a state displeases God.
Worry is really doubt in a threefold direction. First, it doubts God’s love. It implies that God does not care for His own. Secondly, it doubts God’s wisdom. It implies that God is not able to plan for His people and to provide all their needs. Thirdly, worry doubts God’s power. It declares that God is not able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, as He has promised in His Word. What foolish people we are to fail to trust our Heavenly Father who possesses all power and is sufficient for every need of life.
What is it that is troubling you? If you are a believer, having experienced a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, if you know Him as your own, then you can go to Him in prayer with complete confidence that He will not fail you. Somehow, some way, God will undertake. You must believe Him. Has He not provided for you hundreds of times in the past? Do you think He will be any less considerate now? God loves you with an everlasting love. God’s love is not like human love, vacillating and changeable. It is always the same. You may not know what the future holds, but if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you know the one who holds the future. As the result, you have nothing to fear.
Let me give you a memory test. Try to recall some of the things you worried about a year ago. I dare say in most cases you can’t do it. Most of those things seem utterly ridiculous now because they did not come to pass. You worried about things that you never experienced. This is the way with worry. Somebody said the only good thing he found about worry was that the things he worried about rarely ever happened. Alongside of this put the sleepless nights, the days devoid of peace.
But maybe you are not a believer. By that I mean maybe you have never received Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord. This being the case, I can understand why you worry. You don’t have our Sovereign God to help you. I think you will agree that in many situations in life, we are highly insufficient to handle them ourselves. We need God’s help.
Maybe you don’t understand all about salvation and eternal life. You don’t have to understand it all to be saved. All you need to do is to be willing to turn from your sins and trust Christ to be your Lord. You can do that right now. Call on Christ and invite Him to come into your life. Then, day by day, take all your troubles and problems to Him in prayer. Take those problems to Him dozens of times a day, if necessary, that your mind may be relieved from the useless worry that accomplishes nothing.
J. Allen Blair
Tools for The Mind
You can buy guides for your mind. Tools are available that are purported to make you successful, lower your stress level, assist you in problem solving and decision making, improve your memory, and make you more effective.
These people are on to something. The state of mind is the key to how we live. Dr. Blair has written a message that we are giving free to anyone who asks for it, Where Trouble Begins. This message is designed to help you think about and do a tune up on your mind from a biblical perspective. Write for a free copy. Do it today!
REFLECTIONS with Dr. Blair
The Apostle wrote in Galatians 6:10, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, and then He added, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. God’s people ought to be kind to everyone but especially to those who love Jesus. But in spite of this admonition, sometimes there are believers who ignore it. This should never be the case if we know and love the Lord. Satan is always at work sowing discord and strife. How we need to manifest the love of God in all our relationships. Jesus said, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40). We cannot say we love the Lord if we have resentment in our heart toward brothers or sisters in Christ.
In Ephesians 4:30 - 32 Paul wrote, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Someone may say, “That’s a tall order. I find it difficult to live this way.” It can be done, however, not in our own strength, but in the power of God. If daily we meet with Him and claim that power, and ask Him to live through us, we can overcome our petty dislikes and unkindness. We are not able, but God is. Remember, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
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