The antidote to worry

From Andrea Grear, Principal, South Plympton Campus

My favourite part of the Bible is always about Jesus. I know the whole Bible points to Jesus and is a beautiful act of restoration for a fallen world, however, I love the gospels. And I love reading the words from the mouth of my Lord. 

A favourite verse in particular is: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?'

Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)

The passage continues on with a lot about clothing again - Solomon and his clothes being less magnificent than wildflowers in a field. Eating, drinking, wearing, concerns of each day; but not dieting, mortgages and ageing or contemporary matters that confuse the mind! They are still worries but in a different context. To continue with verse 33: ‘But seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

So there we have it: each day has enough trouble of its own. Trouble is part of life as spelled out by Jesus, as is his solution to not worry about tomorrow but to trust. 

It reminds me of the quote from Scott Peck in The Road Less Travelled about the fact that ‘Life is difficult.’ and how ‘Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.’ And Jesus provides in these verses above how that does not have to matter - but we are to ‘seek his kingdom and righteousness.’

More than this, I have learnt that worry and difficulty are often the times that remind me of my need for the voice and guidance of God in my life. How do you hear the voice of God? Is it a whisper? A vision or a dream? A feeling or an amazing circumstance? Whatever means God uses to talk to you, the nature of the epiphany is clear and it changes you; it provides insight. And I would imagine that it is different for everyone. Of course we have also been given God's word to provide us with guidance to the good life and to find shalom. However, I have a suspicion that God is not limited in the way he reveals his word to us and that it is something we should be open to in our lives through prayer and meditation. 

There is no doubt in my mind that when everything goes wrong, God is there and he has a plan. As has happened to me when I reflect back on my life. I have many anecdotes and stories, but it is only now that I can see how God has organised the direction of my life through hard times, with a direct word, and with things placed on my heart. Our family had a fortnight of despair many years ago that was the loss of so many things - a baby; a job; and a cousin drowned. These circumstances very early on in our marriage helped us to orient ourselves to the things that are eternal. To appreciate what we did have, rather than what we had lost.

As Paul reminds us of what Jesus requires of us in Thessalonians 5:16-18, which is also a reminder of how to manage the troubles of life: ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’

It is really hard when your life is turned upside down, you lose people, dreams and can easily lose hope. I try to reflect and recall many incidents where I can see the fingerprints of God’s direction through loss and am reminded to be thankful for what he has blessed me with. Thankful for what I have learnt. Thankful for the pain that has allowed me to grow. Thankful for the privilege of teaching. Thankful for work that has provided me and my family with many things. Thankful for working with the people I work with and thankful for being able to laugh with each other. Most importantly, I am thankful for the love in my life.