Faith & Insight: Worry-sickness

Like many people, I worry about a lot of different things. Some of them end up being silly and no big deal. Other times my worries are significant and most people would agree that they are warranted — that they would have worried, too.

Romans 8 is a passage of Scripture that has been addressing this within my life and the Holy Spirit has been illuminating my heart as to the “why” of my own “worry-sickness” tendencies. Verse 32 specifically says, “He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him over for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?”

And, right there, in light of this chapter about deliverance and victory, Scripture is simple and yet clear: For those who belong to Christ, there is no need to worry about what God will do, how he will act, protect or administrate justice. Why? Scripture says that God has given us his very best with his son, Jesus Christ. I am learning that I engage in worry most often when I forget this central truth about God, his son, and our lifesaving relationship with God the father.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “What can the Lord deny us after giving us Jesus? For if there had been a limit to anywhere, he would have kept back his own son.”

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “God gave us his best, now that we are God’s children, will he not give us all that we need?”

R.C. Sproul wrote, “Look at the extent to which God has gone to ensure our ultimate victory. He has spared nothing to bring it about, not even his own son. God delivers up his own son for us, and in doing so he is willing to give us everything that he has promised and set apart for his son.”

Worry seems almost natural. It definitely is not something we will be absent of this side of heaven. However, we cannot lose sight of what God has already promised. Because God the father has secured this promise for us, we can trust in all of his promises, in how and when he provides, and in the ways he is calling us to live, sacrifice, give, serve and worship him.

As disciples of Christ, we need to quiet our “worry-sickness” with the perfect and holy love of the father and to let everything else be filled by his mighty force in our lives. May we clearly remember the work of God to save us and, from there, process our concern before God in ways that show we trust in his promises and trust in him to work in our lives with our current concerns. So that those apart from God can see those who are walking with the Lord, walk in his righteous ways and bring him glory and honor along the way each day.

Nick Emery is lead pastor of Hope Crossing Community Church in Carson City.