Sep 10

Trusting God but still Concerned: Refusing to be WORRIED with “What IF’s”

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Bible Study – September 10, 2014

Trusting God Yet Still Concerned:  Not distracted by WHAT IF’s

Minister E. Marcel Jones

Answer the following questions:

1.   Have you ever grown excessively concerned even after paying this month’s bills that you’ll not have enough to cover them all next month?

2.  Have you ever fallen into a deep concern and worry that even if you find the right person and fall in love that they’ll lose interest one day and the relationship won’t last long?

3.  Have you ever worried yourself physically sick over something that turned out to be nothing significant in the end?

Check which of these have caused worry in your life at some point:

Children _____    Safety _____     Health ______    Career/job ______   Money ______   The Afterlife _______

Any one of these scenarios can move a person from CONCERN to WORRY.  Add on top of these everyday events and occurrences and you have the makings of a lifetime of worry.  But, God does not desire that we carry the weight of worry on our shoulders and in our spirit.  In fact, he encourages us to “cast our anxiety upon Him.”  This Bible Study will seek to differentiate between matters of concern and worry.  It will also provide scriptural references to hold on to in moments of worry.

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Harold Stephens says – Worry sees a problem; but concern solves the problem

Worry – ancient German word “wurgen” means to strangle

Worry has been described as the Common Cold of emotional problems

Concern, on the other hand, is a healthy emotional activity that acts as a constructor:  There are typically three phases of concern

Phase 1 – Becoming Aware of a matter

Phase 2 – Search for Available solutions

Phase 3 – Devising a Plan of Action

Worry begins in the 2nd phase for most

  • When folks don’t see any solutions/no way out/no hope/no alternatives

  • Now compounded with thoughts of all the other terrible/horrible things that could take place – now can’t think straight/perspective distorted

    • Become stuck – like a car tire in mud
    • Now your concern is stuck in worry mode

Let’s read Numbers 13:26-33

Notice how Caleb refuses to be distracted by What If’s.

1.  He doesn’t ignore the concern

2.  He doesn’t dismiss the concern

3.  Instead, his concern calls for action

Notice that verses 26-27 goes extremely well, until they allow a BUT to get in the way of a GREAT Report.

1.  That’s how the enemy works – great report until a BUT is interjected in verse 28; their concern for WALLS and BIG FOLKS turns to worry; now they have to deal with a bunch of WHAT IF’s

2.  God’s folks took their eyes off Him and what they knew to be true; and decided to dwell on the negative of Walls and Giants

But, Caleb silences the BUT with a SHOULD (Your Should is your plan of action in the face of concern).  Glory!!!!!!  You can shout right there!!!!!  Your SHOULD is Concern with direction!  Caleb essentially said, “I can’t LIVE on Worry STREET when God’s got a Promised Land Address waiting on me!!!!!

But, by verse 31-33, FEAR had compounded the grip of Worry on the Children of Israel – Read the account in verses 31-33

What do the following scriptures offer us during moments of worry?

Philippians 4:4-9             Psalm 37:1-9

Matthew 6:31-33            Psalm 56:3

Isaiah 41:10                    Psalm 27:1-3

Other practical steps to take against worry:

1.  See your concern from a spiritual perspective – In the natural it appears you’re in the battle alone but if you peel back the layers and see it from a spiritual perspective, the hand of God is all over your situation.  Take comfort in knowing that God has this under his control.

2.  Adopt a healthy emotional outlook – In every situation you face, filter it through these statuses:  Either you can change it; influence it; or can’t change or influence it.  Don’t ignore or pretend it’s not there, but put everything in its proper category so that you don’t wreck yourself emotionally.

3.  Talk to God (Phil 4:6) – Focus on the promises of God; He is your change agent.

4.  Position God properly – So, what is the bottom line difference between worry and concern?  It’s all in how you position God in relationship to your trouble.  Shut God out of the loop and you’ll worry.  Instead, try putting God between you and your problem.

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