Feb 16: The Antidote to Worry

Lk 12:22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

At first glance you’d think this verse is not so relevant in the 21st century. Today, more people have access to basic necessities such as food and clothing compared to the past centuries. Poverty for the most part has been steadily declining worldwide despite the world population continuing to rise.[1] This trend however does not directly correlate to our worries. The average American might no longer be worried about food and clothes, but is concerned with plenty of other things related to life in general. A pew research indicated that “the public’s list of the top problems facing the nation includes inflation, health care affordability, drug addiction and gun violence.[2] In another article, the worry of money (or lack of it) has been attributed to the greatest source of mental health issues.[3] So I’d say even if the trend of poverty has declined over the years, the trend of worries about life has only increased. Today’s scripture is therefore more relevant than ever. So let’s dig in.

If you ask Google on “what’s the antidote for worry”, AI will respond by saying “Gratitude, focusing on the present, and making a plan can help antidote worry.” Dig a little deeper and you might find self-help exercises which include taking the time to be thankful for all the things you already have (family, friends and even material things). Choosing to not think about the challenges but focusing on yourself and your ambitions might be another way to get out of worry. Spending more time with loved ones, or discovering a new hobby or interest might help alleviate and temporarily distract us from worry. And while all of these can be helpful, we need a much higher level perspective of life, and more importantly how precious we are!

Hear what Jesus has to say about worry:

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [4]

Now, go back and read this a few more times.

The antidote to worry is:

1.     Knowing who you are: you are a precious creation of God made in His image. (Gen 1:27,28).

2.     Knowing you are loved: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

3.     Knowing you are forgiven: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)

4.     Knowing your privileges: a child of God has protection, provision and prosperity attached (Psalm 103:1-2-5).  

What more do you need in life?? When the Creator of this Universe has given us such a great assurance for life, there is no reason to worry. Yes, the world is broken and things around you might not change a lot. Wars, pandemics, interest rates, gun violence, wildfires will all continue. We of course pray and hope that these things will cease. And one day, it will. When Jesus Christ returns in person and takes back the rightful ownership of the world. But in the meantime, and despite all the reasons for anxiety, it is still possible to live worry free.

By this you will be able to distinguish a true disciple of Christ versus a false one. If a Christian’s conversation revolves around the issues of this world, then he or she has not truly understood Who they are following. On the other hand a Christian that walks in peace and is hopeful and content with life, canceling negativity and speaking the truth of God’s word at all times – is the true disciple. Hang around more with those types.   

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341003/poverty-rate-world/#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%2030%20years,to%208.7%20percent%20in%202022.

[2] https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/06/21/inflation-health-costs-partisan-cooperation-among-the-nations-top-problems/

[3] https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/financial-wealth-and-mental-health-americans-worried-about-money-rcna83569

[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 12:22–34.