Maneuvers - No. 23
Give Me
Your Worry
“Just don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine!” Have you ever heard those words and cringed, friend?
Maybe a well-meaning friend or family member said this to you. They were just looking out for you. They wanted the best for you. But their words just rang hollow. Instead of alleviating your worries, they amplified them.
“How is it all going to be fine?” you may wonder. “They just don’t understand how huge this problem really is.”
But Jesus understands. He knows the challenges each of us deals with better than anyone. He sees how they affect us, keep us up at night, fill us with dread. He knows we try so very hard to fix them. Because they need fixing, right?
Jesus’ words today don’t come from a place of ignorance; they come from a place of understanding. He sees our fear and yet he says, “Do not worry about your life” (Matthew 6:25, NIV). He knows that trying to fix the problem on our own won’t make us happy. It won’t protect us from future challenges.
And that time we spend worrying? It’s time we could spend enjoying him, receiving from him, letting him protect us and soothe us. He always will.
Today, we encourage you not to view Holy Spirit’s words as if they came from a well-meaning but ignorant friend. Let’s receive them as they are—words of life from the one who created us and knows us intimately and completely. He is so in love with us and wants our good.
So will you join us in listening today?
01.
The Message
“I love to be with you now. For all the reasons you know, and all the reasons I have yet to tell you. You live most of your life thinking you are alone. But you are not the one who has to handle things. You are not the one who has to figure out the way to be in control of a situation that feels so out of control. Because it is. It is out of your control.
“So much time is wasted, so much energy is wasted, by worry. And you have believed, for most of your life, that worrying leads to action that will bring you the results you want. So if you keep worrying, if you keep fretting and working to attend to a problem with the means of this world to solve it, then, you will continue to feel alone.
“You must end this pattern of keeping your head down, trying to work a problem that can never be fixed in the way you want it to be fixed. And whether or not I help you is not the point I want to make with you either. What I want to tell you is this: whether or not your problem is solved is not what will bring you happiness, contentment, joy in your life. You see, there will never be an end to problems; you have problems because this world is full of them. But you have me, because I am greater than any problem you ever face.
“When will you believe me? When will you drop your hands and surrender? When will you know that any outcome of a problem you face is insignificant compared to a relationship with me? It is not that I do not care about your problems. I do—because I am desperately in love with you. But to focus all of your attention and energy on trying to solve a situation rather than letting your heart receive love from me, depletes you. It does not help you. What helps you is keeping your gaze on me. That is the only thing that helps you—that brings peace and rest and joy.
“Let it all go now, child. Let me gather you under my wings. Let me shoulder your pain. Let me give you strength. By turning to me, you gain my perspective. And my perspective frees you from worry—all the trappings of this world that keep you imprisoned. I free you. I bring you out of pain and into my arms. Come here. My arms are open now.”
02.
Listen
How does today’s message change your perspective on the problems you’ve been facing? How do Holy Spirit’s words touch your heart? Let’s take some time to respond to him right now.
03.
Think
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27, NIV).
1. Take a moment and think about the worries in your life. Not just the big problems, but the little ones, too. Can you name them one by one? Let’s write each one down.
2. How have you tried to fix these problems on your own? How have your efforts succeeded and how have they failed?
3. How would it change things if you focused on receiving Jesus’ love in each of those problems instead of worrying and trying to fix them alone? If you’re not sure, ask Holy Spirit to show you, and write down the insights he reveals to you.
04.
Trust
For today’s exercise, let’s spend a few minutes outside. Now, let’s take a breath. Another one, deeper this time. And just one more.
Look around you. What do you see? Maybe trees, lizards, flowers, birds, shrubs, bees… Notice them. Pay attention to how the trees stand steady, their branches outstretched to receive rain and sun. Note how the birds perch and sing or nab a bug whenever they get hungry.
Now let’s read what Jesus said about worry. Let’s take our time with this passage and soak in each word:
“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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:26-34, NIV).
How did Holy Spirit speak to you through this passage? Did he show you any new truths? Or reveal a familiar truth to you from a new perspective? Let’s write these down.
Do you still have that list of each problem you’ve been worrying about? Good. Let’s take that list to the Lord in prayer.
05.
Pray
Father, I know you love me, and not in a distant, cold way. You love me passionately, deeply, fully. Thank you that I am never separated from that love. You are always close.
(Pull out the list of worries and problems.) I know I can’t fix these problems on my own. Only you can do that. Help me to realize how pointless it is to worry and, instead of wasting time worrying about things I can’t control, to receive your love for me.
You understand each problem I’m dealing with. You understand how upsetting it is that ... (read out each worry on your list).
I’m tired of trying to control these situations. I surrender to you, Father. You’re in control, and I trust what you’re doing. Help me see each of these issues from your perspective, and show me the truths that I’ve been missing.
I love you. You are good. Faithful. Kind. Beautiful. Draw me closer to you.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
