“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1
At one time or another, all of us have been overcome by worry. We’ve worried about our finances, our job, our children, our relationships, our health, etc. But if you think about it, there are three reasons why it is so senseless for us to worry.
First, Worry is unhelpful. It never accomplishes anything, nor does it solve any problems. It cannot change the past, nor can it control the future.
Second, Worry is unreasonable. It only magnifies the problem and make it seem bigger than it really is.
And third, Worry is unhealthy. Statistics show that roughly 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related complaints and disorders, which includes worry.
So, what is God’s antidote for worry? To Trust That The Lord Will Take Care Of You. Verse 1 of Psalm 23 states, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” If you truly believe that the Lord is your Shepherd, are you going to worry? Of course not! Instead, you will trust that God will provide for all your needs, because this is what shepherds do.
A shepherd “provides” for his sheep. That includes food, shelter, and the basic needs. A shepherd “protects” his sheep from anything that threatens them. A shepherd “guides” his sheep. Even though sheep truly are dumb, most of the time they follow their shepherd, trusting that he knows what is best for them. And a shepherd “gathers” his sheep. When his sheep are going in the wrong direction, he gathers them up and brings them back.
Isn’t this exactly what the Lord promises us? “He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
So, the antidote for all this worry is to make the Lord God your Shepherd. This happens by letting go of that control that you want in your life and actually placing your trust in the Lord. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your heart, to open your whole life to the Lord. What this does is it makes you so much more aware of God’s presence in your life, His love for you, and all that He has done and continues to do out of that love. When you see your Lord in this light, it really does enable you to trust that all that was wrong between you and God, Jesus has made right.
This is when Jesus really becomes so much more a part of your life. As He put it, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:18)
Three things happen here: first you hear His voice. Second you have a real relationship with Him and truly know Him. And third, you follow Him because you trust in Him. What all of this is saying is that you need to put the Lord God in control of your life.
This brings me back to the topic of “worry”. Worry is a control issue. It comes from you trying to take control of what you cannot control. So ask yourself, who do you really want to have control in your life?
Overcoming worry is a day-by-day choice. There is no pill you can take to stop worrying. Nor is there any seminar or book or sermons that will make you stop worrying. The antidote for worry is simple, put the Lord in control of your life as your Shepherd. After that you will want for nothing.
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Keith Enko