The Cure for Worry, Part 1

May I get very personal?

The pressures of our times have many of us pastors caught in the web of the most acceptable yet energy-draining sin in the Christian family: worry. Hey . . . don’t look so pious! Chances are good you awoke this morning, stepped out of bed, and before doing anything strapped on your well-worn backpack of anxiety. You started the day, not with a prayer on your mind but loaded down by worry. What a dreadful habit! (It happens to me far too often.)

The stress from worry drains our energy and preoccupies our minds, stripping us of much-needed peace. Few in the pastorate are exempt. We fret over big things and little things. Some of us have a laundry list of concerns that feed our addiction to worry. Anxiety has become a favorite pastime that we love to hate. And worse, we’re passing it on to our children (and in my case, grandchildren). As they see the worry on our faces and as they hear it from our lips, we’re mentoring them in the art of anxiety. Let’s not go there.

As always, Scripture has the answer. Paul wrote this while under house-arrest:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7)

His prescription for anxiety can be boiled down to this six-word principle:

Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.

Wait.

Before moving on, read those six words again slowly, several times. Notice that the remedy to worry involves a choice. He’s not asking you to exist in a state of denial. “Don’t worry; be happy” fails to appreciate the seriousness of your concerns. You worry because the problems you face are difficult to solve. Furthermore they have ongoing consequences if you don’t find a resolution. God doesn’t expect you to suddenly stop caring. Instead, He offers an alternative to the pointless and exhausting habit of worry.

Before this day is done, you will have another occasion to choose between worry and prayer.
Determine now what you will do. Decide now that when the crisis arises, you will transform worry into prayer.

—Chuck

Comments

[Elden Richmond]

The problem with recorded and rebroadcast messsages if that if a blooper is made it may be repeated ad infinitum. Today KPDQ FM, Portland, Oregon, I heard Chuch make an enormous blooper. He said that Lazarus was only resusicated and not resurrected. Jesus said plainly that Lazarus was dead. Medical text books indicate that resusucation relates to revival of a person who appears to be dead, and does not apply to a person actually dead physically. Chuck has minimized greatly the miracle performed by Christ in raising Lazarus from the dead. Of course lazarus did not receive his glorified body, but was back to living in the body he had before his death. I see no reason for this blooper. Perhaps Chuck can explain his reasoning. Sincerely
Elden Richmond, 17126 S. E. Taylor Street, Portland, Oregon 97233-4378, 503-252-2848, Wascocoer@gmail.com

[Wayne Stiles]

Hi, Elden,

Obviously by “resuscitated” Chuck doesn’t mean Lazarus was literally sleeping.

In the broadcast of Chuck’s message that you mentioned, he says that Lazarus was: “not resurrected, but resuscitated. Why do I say that? Well, Jesus is the first one to be resurrected.” In other words, Chuck explains “why he said that”—i.e. what he means by his use of the term “resuscitated.” Chuck continues: “in Lazarus’ case, there would be no way for him to get out [of a closed tomb], because he was resuscitated, having been brought back to life after four days in death.” Again, Chuck describes what he means by “resuscitated”—regardless of the textbook definition.

If you’d like to hear the broadcast again, here it is: http://www.insight.org/broadcast/

After today, you can hear the message here: http://www.insight.org/broadcast/library.html

Even though the NT does use the term “resurrection” to refer to the mere coming to life again (Heb. 11:35), Jesus’ resurrection is clearly distinct from Lazarus’ . . . and that is all Chuck meant to communicate. Lazarus died and came to life again in the same body. Period.

Perhaps we can give Chuck the creative license that Jesus took when He spoke of Lazarus having “fallen asleep.” Chuck didn’t mean that Lazarus only appeared dead (the textbook definition) any more than Jesus meant Lazarus was asleep. Splitting hairs between “apparently dead” and “actually dead” is unnecessary.

One of the many benefits of “recorded and rebroadcast messages” is that they allow us to go back and listen carefully to what Chuck actually said. Having done that in this case, if we look beyond the textbook definition to Chuck’s obvious, clear intent, the blooper doesn’t seem so “enormous.”

[C. Michael Patton]

Wayne, your a good man to take the time to explain that so well for Chuck. He is lucky to have you.