HomeWord - Feb. 26, 2007

Did you know that some psychologists claim that 85 percent of what we worry about will never happen to us? They say there is absolutely nothing we can do about 10 percent of our worries, and that only the other 5 percent of our worries are legitimate. When you take a look at your worries in the light of these statistics, wouldn't you agree that most of your worrying is useless?

There are more people in hospital beds because of worry than almost any other disease. Headaches, ulcers, heart attacks, mental disorders, and even the common cold can be brought on by worry.

Worry is the opposite of trust, and as a Christian you are called to put your trust in God's direction for your life. One of the greatest pieces of advice ever given to humankind is from the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said:

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? 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies 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, O 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 (Matthew 6:25-33).