The Worthlessness of Worry

Grant Partrick joins us from Passion City Church Cumberland to bring a message of confidence around God in times of worry, stress, and anxiety.

Worry—to cease by the throat, to strangle, to harass.

That's exactly what worry does—isn't it?

The longer we carry around our worries on our own, the more and more we are weighed down.

God's shoulders are strong, and we can trust that He is willing and able to carry every worry we've ever had for us. Jesus tells us that not only do we not have to worry, but that we are not to worry when we look at Matthew 6.

1.) We are told to trust God.

We need to focus on serving God only and forsake our need to try to meet our own physical needs. While we serve and seek God, God will serve us and provide for us.

If God Himself has created us and given us our bodies to begin with, and if He's taken care of our spiritual needs, then how much more will He take care of our physical needs?

If you can trust God with your eternity, surely you can trust Him with your children, marriage, job, and future.

If God can be trusted with your greatest need, then surely He can handle your physical needs.

The birds just trust that the Creator of it all will provide for them what they need. Learn a lesson for the birds. This isn't a call to do nothing. God feeds the birds, but He doesn't put the worm in the nest for the birds.

The problem is when we begin to think that our survival depends on our work and ability to provide for ourselves. The danger is when we drift toward self-reliance and independence—the birds are diligent in their work, but they are dependent on the Lord to provide for them.

If God takes care of the birds, how much more will He take care of you?

You were worth Jesus to God. So, in light of that perspective, Jesus says to stop worrying and start trusting your heavenly Father.

2.) We are told not to worry about our future.

Worry is worthless.

Don't worry about your future or about how long you'll live. Worrying about life will not extend your life; it can shorten it.

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." — Charles Spurgeon

Worry cannot solve tomorrow's problems, but it can steal today's joy.

"Never forget that today is the tomorrow that you were worried about yesterday." — Tony Evans

One of the most powerful things we can do when we're trapped in worry is to get our eyes off ourselves. Worry looks inward, with our attention focused on us. Your solution is not you. Look up. When you get your eyes off of yourself, you can look up and see a Creator who sustains all things and who will also sustain and provide for you.

There are three do's in this text: look, see, and seek.

God can create beauty that even the wealthiest people in the world can't compete with.

We are forgetful people, and if we remembered more, we would worry less. Remember all of the ways that God has come through for you. He has never failed, and He has a perfect track record of coming through for His people. And He's not going to start failing now or with you. We can take hope in our heavenly Father who has everything we need.

If you're so worried about the things of this world and all of the things that you need, that's the same thing as the pagans do—they don't have confidence in God, and they chase after their needs.

We can sing songs to and about Jesus and yet live our lives with the same striving and motivation as the people who don't know God.

Are we good moral people and tagging on spirituality to it? Or do we stand firm on the rock of Christ, believing that He will provide?

Position yourself as His son or daughter with the perspective that God has everything you need. Run after your Father, seeking Him first, rather than running after your needs.

You can get everything you want, and you will still worry. Nothing you accumulate in this world will provide true safety and security because you weren't made for this world.

There are situations with the same needs and circumstances—the difference is the source to meet those needs. Pagans look inward and lean on self-reliance, filled with worry and stress. The faithful look upward and are dependent on the Lord, filled with peace and hope. That's the opportunity for every person.

Your heavenly Father knows what you need.

You were never meant to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. The weight of the world is under the Lord's feet.

How do you trust God with your worries? You humble yourself. Admit to God that you can't carry it. God will take it from you.

Your circumstances and situations cannot change, but you can give God what you're carrying and walk in the complete freedom He gifts you.

Humility is the only posture by which you can enter into a relationship with the Almighty. Pride puts our worries on our own backs; humility puts our worries and our cares on Jesus' back.

God didn't design you to carry your worries—He gave us the option to bow and humble ourselves to Him.