The Game of Worry

Worry is the state of engaging in chains of thoughts and images of a negative and an uncontrollable nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. In a sense, worry is a game of the mind. One moment a person is worrying about one thing and before you know it something else seems to become more of a potential threat and new negative thoughts and images replace the former ones. However, worry in not a game. Games are designed to be recreational and fun mainly based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve. The definition of worry deals with torment not fun.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? We certainly have to think about things and even make plans concerning our future. However, the main thought that Jesus is conveying here is God does not want believers burdened with the cares of this life, period.

In Matthew 6:26-30, Jesus wants us to see how much more value people are to God over the animals that God takes care of. He wants us to understand that worry does not add to ones life. We are to consider the beauty of flowers, they just grow, they do not put any effort in and of themselves to do so. How about the most magnificent king of Israel with all his colorful robes and splendor?  Even Solomon magnificence does not compare to Gods creation, yet people, especially His children are more valuable to Him than these splendors. If God is willing to take such care of flowers which grow one moment and are cut down and use for fuel the next, will He not provide so much more for people. "O you of little faith" carries two thoughts.  One is that just a little faith will deactivate worry and is enough to believe God for provision; and or worry becomes a product of those with little or weak faith. Either way, worry takes life away!

Matthew 6:31-32 To worry about the things in which Gods Word says are our in Christ is no different than acting like a lost person who has no hope. Basically worry is sin. God already knows what we are in need of and when we do not believe that what He has promised He is able to perform then we are rejecting His Word and actually believing the devil's lies more than Gods truth.

Finally Jesus tells us a way to get rid of worry. Matthew 6:33 It goes back to the beginning of this passage, ‘Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” A believers duty is to seek, pursue and desire God and His realm not the things of this earthly realm and He promises to take care of us so that we do not lack but that our needs are always met. It is an act of our will and an exercise of faith to give ALL of our concerns to the LORD, but we must be  convinced (have faith) that God will do what He says.

So therefore give ALL your concerns to the LORD and take one day at a time if and when it comes.
(Matthew 6:34)