Fruit of the Spirit - Week 6, Day 1

Day 1: What, Me Worried? (Worry)

If you want to defeat your worries, the next thing you need to do is trust:
GOD CAN AND WILL PROVIDE FOR US.

Jesus tells us, "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26.

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you were out walking around outside, and suddenly, a bird just fell to the ground in front of you, dead from lack of food? I mean, he is just flying along, and then, boom, he runs out of gas and does a nose-dive into the ground. Jesus is saying, "look around you and relax. I take care of the birds, and I will take care of you."

Think about this. Birds are lovely, and they are valuable, but they are not made in the image of God. Birds are great little creatures, but God did not sacrifice His Son for them. He did make you in His image, and He did send His son to die for your sins. You are way more valuable to God than the birds of the air, and yet they know that God will take care of them.
God hates it when we worry because when we worry, it makes God look like a liar. Let me show you what I mean.

• God promises that He is with you always in Matthew 28:20. Worry insists that you are all alone.
• God promises that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him." Romans 8:28. Worry says, "I don't think God can bring any good out of this situation."
• God promises that we can do all things through Him because He gives us His strength. Worry says, "I can't do what God has asked me to do."
• God promises that He will provide for our every need. Worry says, "God is not going to come through for me this time."

Let me show you how silly it is to worry. When my daughters were babies, they would wake me up in the middle of the night and want their diaper changed, and they would want a bottle. Every once in a while (It wasn't that often, to be honest with you), I would get out of bed and take care of my crying baby. I would go into my little girl's bedroom and pick her up and head into the kitchen. She would be screaming in my ear. I would rush into the kitchen, and right in front of her, I would pull out her bottle, fill it up with milk, put it in the microwave, put the lid on, shake it up and give it to her. You know what got me? The whole time I am fixing her bottle, she never stopped panicking. She never stopped crying. Even though I was obviously preparing her bottle, she would not stop screaming until the bottle was in her mouth.
That is exactly the way we are. God says, "I will provide for you." And day after day, what has God done right in front of you? He has provided for you every single day, but just like a baby, we think this might be the one time that God is going to hold out on us.

If we want to get traction on our worries, remember all the times that God has been faithful. Remember all the times God came through for you. He didn't bring you this far to let you fall now.

And then Jesus asks us, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27.

If you want peace to come back into your life,

WE MUST REALIZE THAT WORRYING DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

• Worrying won't make a sick person well.
• Worrying won't change your grade.
• Worrying won't fix your problems.
• Worrying won't fix the issues you have with other people.
• In fact, worrying can't change a single solitary situation.

So, why do we worry? I have heard people say it makes them feel better. Really? If worrying makes you feel better, you definitely have a different kind of worry than I have. When I worry, I am miserable. My mind is racing, I have a huge headache, and I am emotional.

People get so messed up into worry that they actually think worrying about someone or something makes them appear to look like they care. They don't realize that when they worry, it makes it look like they don't trust God.

You have a choice today. You can worry about your life and watch nothing change, or you can pray and talk to God about it and let Him change your situation. It's up to you. It's your move.

Time Out:

1. How has God provided for you so far in your life?

2. How has God come through for you? What miracles have you seen God do in your life?

3. Look up John 10:28-29. Whose hands is your life in?

4. If you are in His hands, what do you have to worry about?

5. Why did I say, "if you worry, you make God to be a liar?"

6. You can worry today and be an emotional wreck, or you can trust God and tell Him about what is going on in your life. Which one will you do today?