IN FAITH
Reflections on Worry, Prayer, and Faith
For many of us as fall approaches, whether we are in businesses or in churches, we are gearing up for ministries in the coming year or business endeavors. Quite often this time of year becomes frantic. One sign of this franticness is that we often have “too much on our plate,” to use a phrase that is pretty common, now.
Symptoms that accompany this franticness include: shallow breathing, a sense of being constantly on the run, with little time to rest, too much on our minds, leading to mental confusion, not being able to fall asleep easily—again due to the tremendous amount of work taking place. We may find ourselves trying to compensate—by thinking ahead, and asking one of the worst questions we can ask. Many of us have asked it. It’s simply this: “What if?”
While it’s fine to set goals, and make plans, it is quite another thing to look to the future either in fear or dread and to ask the question, “What if?” This kind of question indicates that worry has taken the place of planning, and that worry has replaced calmness and peace.
In truth, none of us knows what tomorrow will bring, and the kinds of actions, which will accompany “tomorrow,” much less later in the day. How can we cope with this kind of schedule and the worry, which accompanies it?
Jesus gives us an important teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, about how to handle such overwhelming pressures, which may relate to an overly busy schedule, or to financial pressures, health pressures, or other kinds, and which may certainly lead to worry.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? {26} Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? {27} And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? {28} And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, {29} yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. {30} But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? {31} Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ {32} For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. {33} But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. {34} So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:25-34 NRSV)
Does Jesus mean when He says that we shouldn’t worry about food, or clothing, or life’s basic necessities that God will drop all of these things into our laps? Is Jesus counseling us to be lazy, and not go to work? No. Not at all. But, Jesus is telling us quite plainly that we have a God, whom He and we call “Father,” who cares about us. And, in my experience, when we give our best, whether in work, or other capacities, we will get what we need.
And, in truth, worrying about what tomorrow will bring only saps our strength. It’s not helpful. In my own experience, when I have worried about what “might” happen, it usually doesn’t happen!
And, when I pray about future endeavors, and I ask God to guide me, and to make a way for what either I or our team of leaders at church are trying to do together for God’s glory, usually a way is made.
So, rather than worrying about what might happen (and usually does not), I would invite us to pray for God’s guidance, for peace, strength, and perspective, and to trust that God’s hand is in everything.
So, if your plate is too full right now, sit down, let go of all that is on your mind, offer it up to God, and let God handle the worry or stress, which is sapping your strength. Focus on the one necessary thing, which is your faith in God, while working toward what you must accomplish. God will take care of the rest!
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