Why do I hold on to worry?

July 01, 2014: Why do I hold on to worry? Please "Share" this new Precious Prodigal Post: http://bit.ly/1jHvNxn

Mark 4:38b “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”

We’ve been looking together at some things we need to lay aside if we want peace and even joy on our journey. Some of those things are easier to lay aside than others, and one of the hardest for me is worry. In fact, Harry often tells me I must think my worry is extremely powerful since I do so much of it. I’m better at laying it aside than I used to be, but there are times…usually during a sudden crisis…that I find myself worrying about things that are totally out of my control.

It reminds me of how the disciples hit the panic button on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was in a ship with His disciples, and they started to cross to the other side. Mark 4 tells about the storm that came up suddenly and the reaction of the disciples.

Now to be fair, these were seasoned fisherman, and it would have taken quite a storm to scare them. The Sea of Galilee is known for its sudden, violent storms. With no warning and no time to prepare, one of these storms can produce winds and waves sufficient to swamp and even sink a ship. The storm of Mark 4 was that kind of storm, and they had reason to be afraid.

When they went looking for Jesus, they found Him asleep on a pillow in the back of the ship. Jesus obviously wasn’t worried about it, but they were terrified. Their first reaction was to question whether He even cared. (Mark 4:38) I’ve been there, haven’t you?

There I am, sailing along, not free from problems but with no real crisis looming. Then here it comes, taking me completely by surprise. That crisis might be about anything, but it usually involves my prodigal. When it happens, I’m in a panic, and there have been times I wondered if God even knew what was happening. Did He not care that I was perishing?

You know the rest of the story. Jesus rebuked the wind and told the storming sea, “Peace, be still.” That ended the storm, but then He asked them why they were so afraid. How could it be that they had no faith? (Mark 4:40) That was certainly a fair question. They had been with Jesus. They had seen His miracles. Jesus Himself had taught them, and they had seen that He could do anything. How could they see His power and still have no faith?

May I assure you that storm didn’t take Jesus by surprise? He wasn’t sleeping because He didn’t care. He was sleeping because there was nothing to worry about. No matter how high the waves, no matter how boisterous the wind, not matter how violent the storm…and no matter how frightened the disciples, Jesus had it under His control.

Whatever crisis you and I are facing today, it didn’t take God by surprise either. And He isn’t worried about it. So why are we? God’s got this thing. We may not understand it, and we may not know what’s going to happen next or how it’s going to turn out. But we can trust fully that the “wind and the sea obey His voice,” and we don’t need to be afraid.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, refuse to be controlled by worry? Can you ask God to take your fear and replace it with faith?