Worry is a Symptom, Not a Sickness
The profit of worry does not increase with the size and significance of the trouble. A weighty trouble is no more worthy of worry than a petty one. Worry itself is never of any profit.
If anything, worry is increasingly destructive when the load is large, for then the yoke is even more cruel on our fractured backs.
Worry is a Symptom of a Heart Condition
Worry signals that we bought into the lie of self-sufficiency during easier times, and then trouble awakened us to our own limitations without causing us to reflect upon God’s perfect power and good grace toward those who are weak and desperate. We do not worry, however, when trouble awakens us to our limitations but drives us to God, who has no such limitations.
Worry is a symptom of the sickness of unbelief. It shows that we are becoming increasingly aware of our weakness, but still lack knowledge of and faith in God’s character. This leads us to respond wrongly to trouble by trying to push farther in our weakness to do the things we know we cannot do in our own power.
In order to cease worrying without ceasing to care, we must know who God is and believe.
Trouble’s Value: Weakness Clarifies Our Need to Go Before God in Prayer
The trouble has value only inasmuch as it drives us to our knees in prayer to look to God our Strong Tower, bringing us to desire His good will and to thoughtfully dwell on perfect strength above our own.
“Whatever it is that presses thee, go tell the Father; put the whole matter over into His hand, and so shalt thou be freed from that dividing, perplexing care that the world is full of. When thou art either to do or suffer anything, when thou art about any purpose or business, go tell God of it, and acquaint Him with it; yes, burden Him with it, and thou hast done for matter of caring; no more care, but quiet, sweet, diligence in thy duty, and dependence on Him for the carriage of thy matters. Roll thy cares, and thyself with them, as one burden, all on thy God.” –R. Leighton
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Many years ago, the Lord showed me that I am to yoke w/ Him for His yoke is light. When ever I feel burdened w/ my problems it is b/c i am improperly yoked. In other words I am trying to drag the Lord into my plans, & not letting Him lead. Once i surrender He takes over & lead. I use to halter break young bulls & the best plan was to yoke them w/ my 1 ton gentle bull. The young bulls would tug & fight to lead, but soon he learned that the old bull was bigger, stronger & wiser & soon he would surrender & let him lead. The results was peace & relaxation for us all & amazing pride from the young bull. I think worry is the same just give it to Jesus & you let Him lead & you have nothing to worry about b/c He is bigger, stronger & wiser.
A dear friend and I are often plagued with worry (including worry about being worried…), but God has been teaching us both to rely on Him and trust in Him. Sometimes like the father in Mark, we must turn to Him humbly and say, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (9:24) and wait on Him to give us the faith we need.
Wow. What a short and powerful post. The Lord has blessed you with doing a great job at hitting the heart of this issue in a very short time. One of your best posts, if you ask me.
I love the story of that bull. It’s probably my favorite illustration of the yokes.
Thank you, Jonathan, for letting me know that. You’ve got a knack for reading with analytical eyes and then offering a specific complement.
lol, I hope that’s a good quality, brother. I suppose it could be dangerous in the wrong context.
It’s a good quality
“Outward losses drive good people to their prayers but bad people to their curses.” Matthew Henry