Worried?

Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27)

Everyone worries about the future. Rich people worry about their investments; poor people worry about making it to the next paycheck. Parents worry about their children’s health and education; kids worry about bullying and being popular. Couples struggle with balancing how much to reveal and what to keep private; the problem for singles is finding a good companion to spend time with.

Everyone worries, and the news media doesn’t help matters any. Thanks to worldwide communication, we know about earthquakes and floods killing people anywhere in the world. Every failure of our political leaders is grist for the evening news. We get daily updates on wars and terrorist attacks, with pictures of the carnage. Even if it took place in a state halfway across the country, we are told of gun crimes and child molestations. Thirty minutes of national news can make you afraid to step outside and get your mail.

Of course, we contribute to the problem. We love gossip—hearing what terrible things other people are doing and passing the news along. It makes us feel in the loop, to know what’s going on in the community. It also makes us feel superior; we can pat ourselves on the back for not behaving like those other folks. But it also contributes to worry—what is our school coming to? What will be the future of our neighborhood? Gossip only serves to feed our anxiety.

Sure, you can turn off the TV and walk away from gossip. But some worries can’t be tuned out so easily. What about the high cost of food, fuel, and medical care? What about the dear friend who’s going through a divorce? What about that mysterious dark spot that turned up on your last x-ray? You can’t always hide from things that scare you.

Jesus tells us not to worry. He is God’s all-powerful Son, and He loves us. He has ended storms with a word, healed people of incurable diseases, and even raised the dead. Nothing you are worried about is beyond His power to handle. So pray to Jesus; ask Him to take away your fear and give You confidence in His love and power. Nothing is too hard for the Lord; He can clear away your problem, or He can help you to face it unafraid. How He gets involved is up to Him; but you can be confident that Jesus will help you, if you trust in His love.