General Stuff

The cost of worry

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Worry is one of those things that doesn’t help us, doesn’t help the situation, and yet is so easy to do.

Jesus knew this, and posed a simple question in the middle of the best sermon ever preached.

“And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?” (Matthew‬ ‭6:27‬ ‭NASB, emphasis mine)

The truth is that worrying can’t add anything to our time on this earth, but there is growing scientific evidence that it can take time away.

I don’t know about you, but I want to live here as long as I can because our Father’s got things for me to do. He has things for you to do, too, and none of that is going to be achieved if we spend our time and energy worrying about things that are out of our control but under His.

“Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

That quote from Erma Bombeck is so true! When we spend our time worrying, we make no progress, and we end up worn out in the same place we were before.

Enough! Jesus said to learn from the lilies and the sparrows. He can take care of them, and He loves us so much more. He can take care of us. That is a love that we can put all of our trust in. Consider what Peter wrote years after the sermon that Jesus preached:

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.” (1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NASB, emphasis mine)

It sounds like Peter was listening to the sermon. Maybe we should, too.

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August 5, 2021by Paul Jenkins
Written by Paul Jenkins
Paul Jenkins is lead pastor of The Gathering, a community church located in beautiful downtown Albemarle, North Carolina. He's the author of God is My Air Traffic Controller and My Name's Not Lou. Paul is passionate about his wife, his 3 children, running, reading, coaching, leading people who are following Jesus, Swedish Fish and the Carolina Panthers.