There are so many things happening in our lives that it’s hard not to worry. On the international level, there is the turmoil and violence in the Middle East that causes us to worry about the possibility of an escalating global conflict. Here in the United States, we worry about the stability of our government when we look at Congress and see all the disharmony there—so much so that they cannot even elect a Speaker of the House or agree on a budget. On the local level, there are elections going on that have been as mean-spirited as I have seen in a very long time—(at least that’s the way it is in Goochland where I live). On the individual level, we worry about family members and friends who seem so lost. It grieves our hearts that they have abandoned Christ, and we worry about the ultimate destiny of their souls. And finally, there is the personal level where we worry about our own health concerns, or about family disputes, or about financial woes. Your worries seem to plague you from every side of life until their weight feels like a crushing load. If you find yourself in that position, then you may need to restore your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now, let me clarify that by saying that the last thing I want to do is to add to your worries. In other words, I don’t want you to think: “Oh no! I am worrying all the time and that’s a bad thing—now God is going to be disappointed with me!” That’s not where I am going with this. And, I certainly don’t want to compound your worrying by getting you to worry about. . . worrying! But, think about it. Worrying really isn’t worth it—especially when you consider the results of recent research conducted at Penn. State University. Dr. Lucas LaFreniere, a clinical psychologist, asked the participants to make a record of their daily worries and how their anxieties affected their lives. After having gone through this record keeping process, they waited a period of time to see how many of those things they worried about actually happened. As it turned out, the study found that 91.4% of the time their worries never materialized. In reviewing this result, Dr. LaFreniere lamented: “This is what breaks my heart about worry. [Worrying] makes you miserable in the present moment to try and prevent misery in the future. For chronic worriers, this process leads them to be continually distressed all their lives in order to avoid later events that never happen. Worry sucks the joy out of the ‘here and now’. . . [We found that people’s] worries weren’t worth the trouble they caused.”[1]
Penn State could have saved the time and money in conducting this research because Jesus has already informed us that worrying is a waste of time. In Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus covered all this quite thoroughly when He said:
25 So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith? 31 So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? 32 For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to. 34 So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. Matthew 6:25-34 (TLB)
Now, with all that in mind, you need to understand that Jesus is not saying that troubling things will never happen in the lives of Christians. On the contrary, trials and suffering surely will come. But, one way to reduce the tendency to worry about these things is to understand that trials and suffering can have positive results. Jesus’ brother, James, explained it this way: 2 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NLT2) The Apostle Paul takes this a bit further by adding: 3 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” Romans 5:3-4 (NLT2) And finally, it is Peter who tells us how the difficulties of life can be beneficial: 7 “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1st Peter 1:7 (NLT2)
Notice that these Scriptures indicate the trials of life, that so many people worry about, are things that should be welcomed by Christians. These difficulties strength you by enhancing your spiritual endurance, character and the certainty of your eternal salvation. Ultimately, what happens is this: Your faith in God is refined and made stronger. And, it is a strong faith that serves as the only true remedy in overcoming worry. As your faith develops, it will become only natural to: “Give all your worries and cares to God” knowing that “He cares about you” and will always see you through.[2] 1st Peter 5:7 (NLT2) Now, do these Scriptures still hold true today. Can this really happen in today’s chaotic world?
Well, take the case of Julie Chen Moonves. You might consider how the trials of life and her commitment to casting her worries at Jesus’ feet radically changed her faith. As you may know, Chen has been in mainstream media for decades—most prominently as a co-anchor on CBS’s “The Early Show” and a host of the popular show, “The Talk.” She had been a nominal Catholic for many years, but it was not until a terrible family crisis arose in 2018 that her faith began to grow. It was then that her husband was forced to resign as chairman and CEO of CBS after being confronted with various allegations of sexual misconduct. Shortly thereafter, Chen stepped down from her job with CBS. She was terribly worried by what the future might hold. Strangely, it was a simple email from her aunt that triggered her journey of faith. During this trying time, Chen’s aunt, who is a born-again Christian, sent her an email stating that one of the aunt’s friends had been diligently praying for Chen. Chen was deeply moved by this. In a recent interview, she stated: “[My aunt’s friend] said the Holy Spirit touched her to have my aunt reach out to me to let me know this. And I couldn't believe that this woman that I don't know, I've never met, was praying for me and my family. . . That email prompted me to go to church that morning; it was a Thursday morning, and I dropped my son off at school . . . and I drove straight to one of the three churches not far from my house. And it’s pretty amazing that before 9 a.m. the doors were open, and I went in and I just was by myself and I got down on my knees and I started praying and opening up my heart to God asking for help.”[3] Soon Chen was participating in virtual Bible studies and church services over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She started seriously studying God’s Word. Her faith, that was the tiniest of mustard seeds prior to her family crisis, grew stronger and stronger over a two-year period until finally she made a big decision. She wanted to be baptized. Chen explained: “I realized Christianity is about a personal relationship with God. It all came together through various people in my life, whether it was my aunt or former cameraman who sent me a study Bible or my former college roommate who sent me ‘Hope for Today’ by Billy Graham. I saw that Christianity was about being saved; it wasn't about being judged or punished. It was about being saved and having hope in life. That’s what really made me run towards Christianity. . .”[4]
Now, Chen refuses any job opportunities unless it’s faith-based. She hosts a show on Instagram titled “God 101” and recently produced a new audiobook entitled, But First, God: An Audio Memoir of Spiritual Discovery. In this book, she described her faith journey by saying: “It is never too late to start a relationship with God; I didn't start until I was 48. I want the Word of God to not be intimidating, and I want people to draw closer to Him. The Bible says to draw near to God, and He will draw near to you, and when that happens, you look at the world with a whole new perspective, and nothing can rattle you. You really learn how to live without fear because you have trust in the Lord.”[5]
And, what difference has trusting in the Lord made in handling her worries? Chen sums it up this way: “Work, my career, used to be my false idol. It came first, above everything else. I lived a fast-paced life, I was frazzled. I didn’t have peace, but I thought that was normal. Today, I don't sweat the small stuff. I appreciate my job, but God comes first. I have this serenity about me that I've just never had before. No matter what comes my way, I know God either ordained it or allowed it. It's a matter of time, but He’ll work it out for good. I just don't fret and I DON'T WORRY LIKE I USED TO.”[6]
As I mentioned earlier, the key to dealing with worries is faith. We can see this in the life of Julie Chen Moonves. And if faith makes all the difference, then how do we define faith? The Bible defines faith in various ways, but one of the best definitions is found in the Book of Hebrews which teaches that, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) This means that you have assurance in your heart that, no matter what happens, ultimately you will have eternal life in an unimaginably wonderful place in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. In the end, that is our greatest hope. And, why do we say that we are “certain of what we do not see”? This not only points to your future home in Heaven, but it also has dramatic implications in the here and now. So, what is it that’s “unseen” in which a Christian has confidence? Well, the “unseen” is the outcome for whatever trial or difficulty that you might be facing at the time. Faith gives you the confidence that, no matter what, everything is going to be alright. Christians don’t confront their troubles by saying, “I GOT THIS.” Rather, they proclaim with confidence that “GOD’S GOT THIS!” He will handle the situation and the outcome will always be in your best interest. This is the basis for Paul telling us: “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans.” Romans 8:28 (TLB) And, what is God’s plan for you? God answers this in the Book of Jeremiah proclaiming: “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT2) It is a hope both in your present life here on earth, and in the world to come. And, when you know these things and believe them with all your heart, you will have peace in your life. For as God’s Word promises: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
This reminds me of an old song by the Eagles. One of the lyrics says, “So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key.”[7] I don’t know what “key” the Eagles were referring to when they sang that song, but I do know what it should mean to Christians today? We, as Christians, have the “key”—HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST! When you lay your worries, uncertainties and doubts at His feet, you will unlock the secret to peace and calm in your life like you have never known before. Do you want that kind of peace today, and for tomorrow—and for all time? You can find it only in Christ Jesus. He is our hope and our rock.[8] And, when Jesus is your rock, you cannot be shaken[9] by the suffering and trials of life. As Julie Chen Moonves experienced, your worries will begin to dissipate as your faith in Christ grows.
So, how do you go about giving your worries over to Jesus? In other words, how can you go about laying your worries at the feet of Jesus? One way to do so is through prayer. Tell God about whatever trials or suffering you are going through. Now, bear in mind that God already knows all about your problems even before you pray to Him. For Jesus said: “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” Matthew 6:8 (NLT2) So, why pray? Well, God wants to hear your version of what you think you need, so that He can redirect you to what you really need. That is just one benefit of prayer—there are many others. But, for our purposes right now, think about something Charles Stanley once said: “We’ve all prayed in ways that increase our anxiety by focusing on the situation instead of the Lord.”[10] God doesn’t want you to pray in that way. As you focus more on God, and less on your worries, the Holy Spirit will begin to change the way you pray. He will redirect your thoughts from on your worries and more to the solution to eliminating your worries. So many Christians fail to understand this. To better understand, it may help to see what it looks like when you give your worries to Jesus. Let me provide an illustration.
In a way, it works like this. If you had a problem with your car’s engine, you’d take the car to your mechanic—right? But, what if you showed up at the garage with the car, but refused to hand the keys over to the mechanic so he could see and hear the engine run? The mechanic can’t fix the problem if you won’t let him have access to the main thing that he needs to work on. Now, apply this to your prayer life. When you pray to Jesus, but all you do is complain about the things worrying you and nothing more, it’s like withholding the key to the vehicle. If you want Him to fix your broken “engine” (in other words—“fix” your broken heart), you must give Jesus the key to your life. Let Him under the hood and create in you a new engine that runs like it was intended to run.
The Bible contains similar imagery when God says: 26 “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey My regulations.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT2) That’s what God will do when you hand your worries over to Him and let Him fix what’s under your hood. Who knows—you might even start letting Jesus do the driving! So, hand your worries over to Him and give Him the key to your heart. Until you do that. . , you really do have something to worry about!
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
October 22, 2023
©2023 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Sarah Sloat, “Researchers Prove That What You’re Worried About Isn’t Likely to Come True,” Inverse, https://www.inverse.com/ (August 4, 2019).
[2] 1st Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” (NLT2)
[3] Leah MarieAnn Klett, “Julie Chen Moonves details radical conversion Christianity, why she'll only pursue faith-based projects,” Christian Post, https://www.christianpost.com/ (September 28, 2023).
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Already Gone,” Written by Robb Strandlund & Jack Tempchin, recorded by The Eagles’ “On the Border” album, released June 29, 1974.
[8] 1st Samuel 2:2 “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” (ESV)
[9] Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (NASB)
[10] Stanley, Charles. Prayer: The Ultimate Conversation. Howard Books (May 2013).
