Let me close this article with the Biblical definition and understanding of the word Jesus uses for “worry” or “anxiety.” Note that every version of the Bible will translate this word differently. The general understanding or consensus is that our best modern translation is “worry.”
1. Anxiety – at the center of worry is anxiety. Extreme worry can lead to panic attacks. Moderate worry can bring on insomnia or other health issues. Anxiety is hazardous to our health and is known to shorten our span of life. At the heart of anxiety is fear or doubt. It is fear that any number of potential problems may come to pass, none of which are actually an imminent threat. We should here divide fear into two categories, one being fear of unknown causes that have yet to occur and the other being fear of imminent danger. I will not diminish fear of imminent danger, for it is the emotion of this fear which drives us to action. We fear house fires, threats to our safety, storms, violence, etc., and that fear drives us to protect ourselves.
Fear of the unknown, left unchecked and uninhibited, lies at the heart of anxiety. Your spouse, children or parents are driving late at night on the road to a particular destination, and you fear for their safety. You have just lost your job and are unsure how to make ends meet, which causes you to fear what tomorrow may hold. Other fears can be phobias, such as a fear of heights, spiders or snakes. I can identify because I am afraid of heights and small spaces, although nothing has happened to me as of this point when I have been in tall buildings or tight areas.
This type of fear is not justifiable. It is a fear for fear’s sake. What can you do for your loved one while he or she is traveling? Nothing. Tomorrow holds just as much promise as it does difficulty.
This type of fear represents doubt. Jesus spoke about this fear when He said that your Heavenly Father knows what you need even before you ask. When you worry, it is as if you are saying that the Lord may not provide what He knows you need or maybe He really does not know what you need. Fear based on doubt limits us from both doing what may be possible otherwise and from receiving the best the Lord has for us.
Doubt is a sin in the Bible, and Jesus does not mince words about doubt. Doubt is based on a lack of trust and faith, and, of course, without faith we cannot obtain salvation. Without trust we are not obedient to the Lord.
2. Take thought of or care for – a more simple word to encapsulate this phrase could be “solicitous” or “concern.” As with fear, there is an appropriate time for concern. Concern can cause us to more slowly formulate a solution to an imminent danger or problem. I can be concerned about the crack in a water pipe or a drip under the sink. It is concern that leads me to action and prevents bigger issues from occurring. I can also be concerned about my health and in taking note of my concern go see a doctor.
Included in the definition of solicitous (not a Biblical word) is “to make an inquiry.” This is one who makes an inquiry out of concern, perhaps to make sure a neighbor is well and not in need of immediate help.
The other form of concern is that which causes us to be concerned about tomorrow and be solicitous or make an inquiry about what may come. It can lead us to make an inquiry with the Lord, which in reality originates from doubt and fear rather than from assertive prayer acknowledging as much as requesting that what we need will be there. Concern also holds us back. If we are concerned about taking a step of faith into the future and that the first step may plunge us into disaster, we can be too afraid to move forward. This may be a call to missions or ministry, taking a new job or engaging some other task out of what we believe to be obedience to the Lord. If our concern holds us back from obeying the Lord, then we are taking too much time to think and care about what might be (but is not yet or may never be reality) or that the Lord may not be there for us all the way or somehow abandon us half-way through.
Many of us entertain such doubts but are not willing to do what I just did, which is to admit that what we are really doing is doubting the Lord’s ability to make a way, to care for us and provide for our needs, and to see a project through its completion. You will take special note of the exodus of Israel from captivity on their way to the promised land. The Lord triumphantly led them on this journey to the exact point He originally promised while they were still in captivity. The problem in the exodus was doubt, from the moment they strapped their gear on their donkeys to the moment they rested at the entrance to the promised land. Ultimately, it was not the Lord who failed, but the people who doubted, causing the Lord to punish them for their disobedience, resulting in their failure to obtain the promised land.
If you are facing a particularly difficult time in your life and are uncertain of the Lord, then take some time to read the book of Exodus in the Bible. Ask yourself as you are reading if the Lord is still capable of performing the wonders and miracles He put on display for the people of Israel, and then compare it to your doubt. Also, take special note of the doubt the people expressed, so you can get a feel for what happens when we doubt.
3. To promote one’s own interests – this is where the definition of worry gets a little dicey. This phrase is included in the Lexicon’s definition of worry. What does it mean to promote our own interests? Isn’t it true that promoting our own interests means we put ourselves ahead of the Lord? Promoting our own interests in marriage means we put ourselves ahead of our spouse and family. Promoting our own interests in church or on the school board means we put ourselves ahead of the good of the church or school.
Another way of defining this phrase is selfishness. Yes, that’s right, wrapped up in worry is selfishness. Actually, selfishness is the driving force being doubt and concern as well. When the Lord calls someone on a journey and expects obedience and promises to provide along the way, our first response is often to worry. The people of Israel worried that they would be killed, not have enough to drink and not have enough to eat. They wanted to abandon the Lord and re-enslave themselves to the captivity of the Egyptians. They were putting their own interests ahead of the Lord. They were being selfish.
On one hand, it may appear that their doubt and anxiety were justifiable. There were parents concerned about the welfare of their children, and individuals concerned about their health or ability to make the journey. Let me ask you a question: If the Lord was going to lead them into the wilderness and then abandon them to die, why did He not just allow the Egyptian army to overtake them? Or why did He not just allow the sea to overtake them as they were making their miraculous escape from the Egyptian army?
In our Scripture reading for this article, Jesus repeats Himself three times. Three times He says “do not worry.” If something is repeated, we must stop and take note of it because repetition, especially from Jesus, means that we must be careful to heed what He is saying.
Like this post? Subscribe to stay up to date on new posts.