A LETTER TO A BELOVED WORRY WART

MIKE CUNNINGHAM

May 20, 2007

Dear      ,

I don’t know if you have had an opportunity to read my message from last week, but in case you have, I decided to write and elaborate on the God given ability we Christian’s have to rise above our often troubling circumstances and restrain our anger, so much so, that we can forgive and pray for those who treat us despicably.

In that message I also spoke about how it was possible for Christians not to worry themselves sick and become depressed over potentially life altering possibilities. When we think about it, we must admit that most of the things we worried about in our lifetime never occurred. They were no more that figments of our imagination. I also acknowledged that not worrying was something which is often a lot easier said than done. Nevertheless, I cited biblical and contemporary examples of fellow Christians, empowered by the Spirit of God living within them, of doing just that.

Concerning our anger the Bible is quite clear. There are many passages warning us about not sinning when we become angry but the following will suffice for now. For instance, we sin whenever we don’t control our anger and instead fly off the handle.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (ESV) ⁹ Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

Proverbs 27:3 (NKJV) ³ A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

We behave like a fool whenever we lose our temper and blow up at someone. However, the kind of person the Bible is describing in these passages is the one you must be very careful of everything you say or do in his or her presence because you might trigger them off. God says such a person isn’t acting like a fool but rather that he or she is a fool. It also says whenever we sin in our anger we open the floodgates of our mind and heart to all sorts of satanic influence.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV) ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.

By now you may be wondering why I seem to be focusing on sinful anger in this letter. In fact, you may even be saying to yourself, “is this the kind of person he sees me as being? I’m so careful about how I respond whenever I get angry. I can’t even remember all the times I bit my tongue out of fear of sinning. Why only yesterday I was complemented as having such a gentle spirit. Now while I’m reading this letter he’s given me one more thing to worry about.” And that’s exactly why I believe our Lord wanted me to write this letter to you concerning what He has to say about His followers being overly concerned about their circumstances, so much so that they worry a lot.

Luke 12:11-12 (NIV) ¹¹ “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Luke 12:25 (NIV) ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

By now you’re probably wondering if God considers being anxious or being worried a sin. In fact, if I know you, you’re probably starting to get that all too familiar sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, aren’t you? Please don’t do a number on yourself and keep reading. Trust me. It will get better. Read the following verses that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write about anxiety.

Philippians 4:4-7 (AMP) ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! ⁵ Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. ⁶ Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. ⁷ And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

“Oh man,” you’re probably saying to yourself. “Do I understand this correctly? Not only does God not want me to worry in the midst of what I’m going through but He actually wants me to be joyful and experience some sort of indescribable peace just as He wanted those first century Christians who were enduring horrendous persecution to. I feel like throwing up!” I know you do but trust me and keep reading my letter. Speaking to the Corinthian Christians about how proud he was of those persecuted followers of the Risen Savior, Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 7:4 (AMP) ⁴ I have great boldness and free and fearless confidence and cheerful courage toward you; my pride in you is great. I am filled [brimful] with the comfort [of it]; with all our tribulation and in spite of it, [I am filled with comfort] I am overflowing with joy.

Whenever I think I have problems it helps me to read about the sufferings those first century Christians were enduring. I sure wouldn’t want to have to go through the things the Apostle Peter did. Consider the following account of just one of his experiences.

Acts 12:1-11 (AMP) ¹ ABOUT THAT time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly). ² And he killed James the brother of John with a sword; ³ And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week]. ⁴ And when he had seized [Peter], he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly).

⁶ The very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared [standing beside him], and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, Tighten your belt and bind on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your outer garment around you and follow me.

⁹ And [Peter] went out [along] following him, and he was not conscious that what was apparently being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the Iron Gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord [the gate] swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him. ¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].

The guy wasn’t losing any sleep worrying about what might happen to him next. Peter was sleeping like a baby. In fact, he was sleeping so soundly that the angel had to nudge him awake. For a while Peter still wasn’t fully awake. He thought perhaps he was seeing a vision. It wasn’t until the angel left him and he came to himself that Peter realized what was happening.

There are many other accounts I can give concerning those first century Christians as well as others throughout the New Covenant Age during the past 2,000 years up to the present time, but these will suffice for now. I only want to show you that it’s possible to overcome your temptation to become anxious and worry about your own circumstances and to be able to rejoice in them and experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. Stay with me now and read once again what God the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write in his letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 4:4-7 (AMP) ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! ⁵ Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. ⁶ Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. ⁷ And God’s

peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

When you think about your own troubles and compare them to what those early Christians were experiencing I know you wouldn’t want to trade places with them and neither would I. However, knowing you as I do, you’re probably saying to yourself. I wish I could be like that. I try. I pray but I can’t stop thinking about my troubles. I can’t even sleep at night. No sooner do I doze off than I awaken and my mind is on fast forward racing all over the place thinking about things such as, “What if this happens? Then what will I do? Suppose she doesn’t recover; how can I possible live without her? When they repossess my car how am I going to get to work to earn the money to make the mortgage payment and prevent foreclosure? And now I’m reading this letter telling me that God wants me to not to be anxious and worry but to rejoice and bask in some kind of indescribable peace.”

“I can’t do that. Other people might be able to stop thinking about their troubles but I can’t short of having a lobotomy or drowning my sorrows in booze or doing drugs.” Now I ask you, aren’t these some of the things that you are thinking about at this point in my letter? For instance, how can you control your mind so that you won’t think about your troubles? The fact is that you can’t. It’s impossible. None of us can control our mind and heart. If we didn’t care about those we love we wouldn’t be thinking about them all the time. We may care about those three missing American soldiers over in Bagdad but we’re not suffering the anguish their loved ones back home are. We may pray for them but we’re not lying awake nights worrying about them, are we?

In the passages you just read about the time Peter was kept in prison you also read that fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church. They were concerned for Peter. In their anguish they cried out to the Lord on his behalf. And that’s exactly what God wants us to do with whatever it is that’s burdening us.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Psalms 55:22 (AMP) ²² Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

Remember, although we are able to control many things such as what we are going to eat of wear, we can’t control our hearts and minds any more than we can the weather. No matter how hard we may try, we simply can’t force a hurting loved one out of our mind and heart. Nor can we get rid of thoughts about anything that will affect the well being of those we truly love. And it is precisely this loving concern that is the cause of our worry or anxiety. Bottom line? This is the way you and I and all normal human beings are.

In a sense we are held hostage by the powers of our mind and heart, and if we let them, they will have us do a big time number on ourselves chasing figments of our imagination all night long. In such a miserable state we are a poor recommendation for anyone embracing the Christian faith. We have lost the joy of the Lord.

I’m sure you’re wondering what we can do about this dilemma. I could tell you not to worry. Just get these thoughts out of your mind. To tell a chronic worry wart not to worry is useless. For instance, if you are strong willed enough you may be able to do this. However, if you do you will not get rid of your anxiety. On the contrary, you will drive it into your unconscious mind where it will continue working and produce a condition the shrinks call repression. Check the characteristics of that one out some time and see if it’s anything you would be willing to trade for your present emotional state.

What then can you do? Well you can pray just as the Apostle Paul tells us to. Please don’t think I’m putting you down at this point because nothing could be further from the truth. I’m sure you have prayed many, many times but you are still worried. Many of us have developed a habit of rushing to Him right away and letting Him know what’s burdening us as if He didn’t already know. We need to ask ourselves this question. When I pray am I following the method outlined by the great apostle in his letter to the church at Philippi?

Before we ask or thank Him for anything we need to enter into His presence with our heart and mind filled with a sense of worshipful adoration for who He is.

1 Chronicles 29:11 (AMP) ¹¹ Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.

Then, think about past mercies He has showered down upon you and cast the awful burden that is troubling you so much on Him. Cry out to Him audibly with your petitions just as the Psalmist did.

Psalms 39:12 (AMP) ¹² Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not Your peace at my tears! For I am Your passing guest, a temporary resident, as all my fathers were.

Psalms 40:1 (AMP) ¹ I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalms 3:4-5 (AMP) ⁴ With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! ⁵ I lay down and slept; I wakened again, for the Lord sustains me.

Sleep just as the Apostle Peter did a long time ago. Cry out as the Psalmist did and you can be sure God will do something. I did and this particular letter to you is the way God answered me. After starting last week with my mind and heart racing all over the place chasing after one gloomy potentially discouraging figment of my imagination after another, God reminded me that it was He alone who called me to the Gospel ministry and it is He alone who will sustain me and accomplish everything He has planned to do through me. And He also has a perfect plan for you.

Romans 8:28 (AMP) ²⁸ We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Romans 8:32 (AMP) ³² He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things? Can you imagine God walking away from us after what He did for un in the Person of His Son on the cross?

Romans 8:38-39 (AMP) ³⁸ For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Meditate on His incomprehensible love for you.

There is just no way God won’t finish the work He is doing in us. With a heart and mind filled with worshipful adoration together with a spirit of sincere thankfulness for past mercies, unburden yourself of whatever fears are holding you hostage and cry out fervently to Him. End your petition by saying something such as, “Lord, I know You can do all things. Please grant my request if it is in accordance with whatever You have planned and ordained for me from before the foundation of Your world. Pray like this and I guarantee you will experience the peace of God which passes all understanding.

I have to close now but before I do I want to make another suggestion. There may be times when love dictates you not share certain concerns with a worry wart. However, when the Lord gives you your heart’s desire don’t share the good news with him or her either. Wait till eternity. You of all people know how such as person’s imagination is apt to run wild. Even when you assure them that things are really OK and you’re just feeling tired or thinking about something you have to do or whatever. Remember worry wart’s have a propensity to imagine the worse, and unless his or her heart is guarded in Christ Jesus they surely will.