Matthew 6:25, 34 "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 than food, and the body more than clothes? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
These last weeks, we have learned a lot about the physical and social contagion of the Coronavirus. We have been told we are required to stay at home and not go out unless we absolutely have to. If we do go out, we are to practice and utilize social distancing and to avoid people outside of our household; we are to frequently disinfect touched objects and surfaces, to wash and sanitize our hands all day long and not to touch our face. But no one is really talking about the emotional contagion that is spreading like wildfire from one person to another. This last week, I experienced firsthand how fear, worry and anxiousness has become almost worse than the COVID-19 virus as the emotional pandemic of what is occurring in our world has accelerated out of control. The fear is real and the enemy of our souls is having a heyday in our society. The human mind is unable to wrap its head around this unknown territory that each and every one of us has had no choice but to journey. What is happening is that those who do not dwell in the presence of our Savior have captivated the world by pouring out the worst possible scenarios that anyone can imagine. Webster’s dictionary defines worry as “to afflict with mental distress or agitation, to make anxious, resulting from concern usually for something impending or anticipated. To choke or strangle, to threat or torment.” In other words, worry can become a spiritual fever that wreaks havoc on a believer because it clutters tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles. What we are doing is being concerned about something that has not happened and that we have no control over.
Luke 10:41-42 says, “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’" When we worry about things that might happen, we are living our lives like we are orphans, with no Father to care for us. If God takes such good care of the flowers in the field, how much more will He take care of His children whom He has created in His image? If we as believers function with an anxiety that rules our lives, then what we are saying is that we don’t truly know our Heavenly Father. He has promised us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. We don’t have to worry about our finances, about what we will eat or how we will be clothed. Most of the people who are in fear are worried about the material things of this world and the economic stress of the pandemic has become more of an issue than the virus itself. This world is not our home; we are just sojourners passing through and we can take none of this with us. God has promised us that He will meet every single need we have. Do we have enough to eat? Do we have enough clothing? Do we have a roof over our head? Of course we do. That is all we need.
Deuteronomy 33:25 says, “…And your strength will equal your days.” God’s grace is sufficient for each day. We are not meant to look into the future, because only God knows what that will hold. Each day has a burden for that day. Let’s not borrow tomorrow’s burden and make it today’s burden. 90% of the things we worry about will never happen. But what will happen if we live our lives wringing our hands about what may occur; God can get pushed to the sidelines and we will end up like all of the unbelievers who are paralyzed with fear because they do not have the peace that passes all understanding; they do not know that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We know how the story ends, so do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
These last weeks, we have learned a lot about the physical and social contagion of the Coronavirus. We have been told we are required to stay at home and not go out unless we absolutely have to. If we do go out, we are to practice and utilize social distancing and to avoid people outside of our household; we are to frequently disinfect touched objects and surfaces, to wash and sanitize our hands all day long and not to touch our face. But no one is really talking about the emotional contagion that is spreading like wildfire from one person to another. This last week, I experienced firsthand how fear, worry and anxiousness has become almost worse than the COVID-19 virus as the emotional pandemic of what is occurring in our world has accelerated out of control. The fear is real and the enemy of our souls is having a heyday in our society. The human mind is unable to wrap its head around this unknown territory that each and every one of us has had no choice but to journey. What is happening is that those who do not dwell in the presence of our Savior have captivated the world by pouring out the worst possible scenarios that anyone can imagine. Webster’s dictionary defines worry as “to afflict with mental distress or agitation, to make anxious, resulting from concern usually for something impending or anticipated. To choke or strangle, to threat or torment.” In other words, worry can become a spiritual fever that wreaks havoc on a believer because it clutters tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles. What we are doing is being concerned about something that has not happened and that we have no control over.
Luke 10:41-42 says, “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’" When we worry about things that might happen, we are living our lives like we are orphans, with no Father to care for us. If God takes such good care of the flowers in the field, how much more will He take care of His children whom He has created in His image? If we as believers function with an anxiety that rules our lives, then what we are saying is that we don’t truly know our Heavenly Father. He has promised us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. We don’t have to worry about our finances, about what we will eat or how we will be clothed. Most of the people who are in fear are worried about the material things of this world and the economic stress of the pandemic has become more of an issue than the virus itself. This world is not our home; we are just sojourners passing through and we can take none of this with us. God has promised us that He will meet every single need we have. Do we have enough to eat? Do we have enough clothing? Do we have a roof over our head? Of course we do. That is all we need.
Deuteronomy 33:25 says, “…And your strength will equal your days.” God’s grace is sufficient for each day. We are not meant to look into the future, because only God knows what that will hold. Each day has a burden for that day. Let’s not borrow tomorrow’s burden and make it today’s burden. 90% of the things we worry about will never happen. But what will happen if we live our lives wringing our hands about what may occur; God can get pushed to the sidelines and we will end up like all of the unbelievers who are paralyzed with fear because they do not have the peace that passes all understanding; they do not know that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We know how the story ends, so do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
