Worry - we're told not to worry (Matthew 6:24 - 34), yet I do it every day. I worry about having enough money to cover the bills, take care of unexpected expenses, to purchase the things I'd like to have, and to so things we'd like to do. I worry about the welfare of our children since my ex-wife has such different views than I do. I worry about meeting deadlines and working far enough ahead for things to be in place when I travel for work.
I'm anxious about my weight and the ability to bike and run the way I'd like to. I get stressed about finishing the decorating and organizing of our apartment. I get worked up about the political and social state of our country along with how I can prepare our children to persevere in it. I've actually got a list on my phone of things that stress me out so I have a place to put those thoughts and get them out of my head without consuming me.
So why is it so hard to trust that God will take of all these things and just let it go?
I'm a recovering pharisee. For 34 years, I took care of righteousness by my own effort. I didn't need God to do anything for me. The only thing I needed other people for was to advance whatever current agenda was on my mind.
When I was finally put on my knees, I had to be completely and utterly dependent on God and others for everything. It was terrifying and amazing all at the same time. But even as I've been refined through the process and the wounds heal with time, it's tempting to fall back into those old habits of taking care of my own problems.
The insane thing is that God has shown me love, faithfulness, and grace in every situation. He hasn't given me a single reason not to trust Him, yet I'm quick to take back the reigns as soon as I have the chance.
A friend and mentor once told me that all sin boils down to one of two things - pride or fear. We want control in our pride and that's why it's so hard to trust God with those things that we think we can handle on our own. In our pride, we still know that God can handle it and that He will handle it better than we will. Still, pride whispers to us constantly the song of the Sirens and we have great difficulty fighting it off. So we work it in all out foolishness until we find ourselves in a mess that leaves us no choice but to look to God.
There's hope though. Each time we fall to pride, God proves His faithfulness and sustenance to us again and our confidence in Him grows. While I know worry and pride are areas that I need to improve in, recognizing that is an important point. We can pray that God would work on our areas of weakness and help our confidence and trust in Him to grow stronger as we mature. Then with each small step or giant leap of faith that we take, we'll see His faithfulness and be able to use that experience to help and encourage others.
Luke 12:13-21 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Interested in hearing Pastor Dave Martin's sermon on this text?
Listen online here or download the file.
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