Can Worry Increase Your Life? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 1

Can Worry Increase Your Life? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 1
Pastor Dave Pretlove
Matthew 6:25-34

Why are we the most worried and anxious people who have ever lived? Because …

1. We are making temporary things big and eternal things small. 

• Matthew 6:25, 19-21 
  2. We are making our perceived needs big and our real value small. 
• Matthew 6:26, 28-30 

3. We are making our illusions of power and control big and God’s actual power small. 

• Matthew 6:27  

4. We are making our anxieties big and our uniqueness small.  

• Matthew 6:31-32

5. We are making our goals, priorities, agenda, and kingdom big, and God’s small. 

• Matthew 6:33

6. We are making living in the past and the future big and living in the present small. 

• Matthew 6:34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
Matthew 6:25-27 ESV

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”
Isaiah 43:18-21 NIV

This week, explore the spiritual practice of silence and solitude. While discussing solitude, Richard Foster writes, “In times of soli­tude, we become enveloped in God’s very presence. There is an inti­mate con­nec­tion between soli­tude and silence. Silence, you see, cre­ates in us an open, emp­ty space where we are enabled to become atten­tive to God. And oh, how we need such open spaces in our mod­ern tech­no-world with its relent­less bar­rage of ’sound and fury, sig­ni­fy­ing noth­ing.’ Indeed, many peo­ple today have become lit­tle more than walk­ing ’tow­ers of babble.’”

Devote some time this week to practice silence and solitude in God’s presence. Focus on his presence with you and that he loves you and he likes you – he wants to spend time with you this week!

I was talking with someone this week about how easily obtrusive thoughts can come in and bring worry. My mind easily goes to the worst-case scenario. Someone is late to lunch? They were in a horrific wreck. Brett didn’t answer his phone? He for sure got hit by a car … again. I have to actively submit my thoughts back to Jesus and ask him to redeem my mind.

This week, just begin to bring awareness to the obtrusive thoughts and worry that so easily enters your mind. As soon as you’re aware of the worry creeping in, capture those thoughts and ask Jesus to redeem them. I’ve heard author and speaker, Carlos Whittaker, say, “I don’t pray the problem. I pray the promise.” 

Instead of praying circles around the thing you’re worried about (basically meditating on the problem!), choose to pray God’s promises over that worry. This requires knowing his Word! This week, get into God's Word, know his promises, and start praying his promises over your life. This list might be a place to start!

Blessings,
Lydia Long