Worry and Fear

September 28, 2004

Personal Narrations

Joel Akin

Calgary, Alberta

Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.

Worry is a lot like going up the elevator to the 12th floor. But you know you have business on 10 and 11 sometime in the future so you press all three buttons and never arrive at your destination cause you keep getting off on the wrong floor. Worry and fear are are so predominant in our lives that we often don't even realize how powerful they have become. Recently I was asking the Lord if there was anything in my life that needed work on. He told me I had to let go of the worry for my family. How could I do that when I wasn't worrying for them? I was only concerned? I suppose God must have chuckled at this moment and then pointed out to me that concern was also worry. What?!! I thought concern was a form of compassion but the Lord insisted I look it up in my dictionary. One should never argue with someone who created diverse languages.

 To worry to show signs of anxiety....

Okay, so I was worried about them. Isn't it my job to worry about my family? Should I not show just a little bit of concern? I would be a robot if I didn't worry.

Perhaps I'm a little denser then the average Christian. For months I've been trying to learn not to worry, not to fear, not to doubt. Now I find that concern is also worry? I suppose we all must learn to see the truth in ourselves as only God can help us see. Its like looking in a mirror. Most people don't realize but mirrors lie to us. They don't show us as we really are but a backwards 'us'. If you don't believe me put a newspaper up to a mirror and you'll find out its all written backwards.

 In a way that is how my relationship with God was. He had to take all that I knew, all that I know, show me where I was going wrong and then remake me so that I 'saw' correctly. But if one spends their lives looking with their own understanding they shall fail. Its like concern being a form of fear. I know that perfect love casts out fear. But true love also is what we must give to our families but we must leave them in the hands of God.

 Does this mean we should leave their salvation to God? And not 'worry' about their salvation or teaching children in the way they should go? Or adults?

Growing up I remember many nights when young when we had a time of family devotion. The Bible would be read, prayers made and then we'd scamper off to bed. But as we grew older those times of devotion stopped as a family just as the time for spankings also came to an end. I believe my parents raised us the best way they could but though they may not have realized it they could not have done much more. You see there is a point in our lives where we have to give up our children and their spiritual growth to God. It does not mean we cease praying or speaking of Gods love but spiritual growth can only come from God.

1Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

 Paul understood this. He knew that each of us plays a role. The biggest problem we face is knowing when to take our hands off and turn something over to God. I do not speak of 'prayer without ceasing' at all but times when we have preached and taught and counseled till we are blue in the face. Their comes a time when that word we speak turns into flesh because we have tried to 'increase'. Increase can ONLY come from God. It is the spiritual and natural order of things.

 Finally I know that fear and worry are detrimental to my spiritual growth and my physical health. I know that clinging to concerns and doubts and fears will only hinder me when I long to move forward in my relationship with God. You see fear is the complete opposite of the nature of God for from Him stems life and glory. We must relinquish ALL fears and put on His life and His love so that we can truly care for others as we should. This takes time and is sometimes a daily battle. If we are amenable then we can become the person that we long to be without all the suffering because we are concerned when we really meant to be compassionate.