Don't Be Anxious About Anything

Over the years I've been trained by the Holy Spirit not to worry about things. I'm human, of course, and I have my moments, but I have been trained and disciplined not to worry.

One of those moments was a few weeks ago when I missed my flight out of Mongolia. I had moments where I worried I wouldn't get home to take my mother-in-law to a very important doctor appointment. Normally my wife would take her but she was in Florida so it was up to me to get there on time. I was telling a friend about this and she was astonished that I had actually worried. Let me explain.

My friend is a seasoned person in ministry, but I never realized how my life had impacted hers and how she was both intimidated and inspired by my lack of worry in my daily life. In fact, she sounded relieved when she heard that I was actually able to worry a little. This really amused me. She knows me well and has watched me endure some very difficult things, but apparently she assumed that I was superhuman or more spiritual than her. I am neither. I am just trained.

In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us many times not to worry. In Philippians Paul says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Over the years, the Holy Spirit, through some very difficult circumstances, has trained me not to worry. I don't have the space here to recount all the situations He's used but He's taken advantage of every one of them. Here's how he can train you to be a person who is not ruled by worry.

First, you cannot learn not to worry. Read that again. You cannot learn not to worry. The human brain is not designed to work in a vacuum. For example, you can't not hate. If you want to stop hating you must start loving. You replace hate with love.

In the same way, if you want to stop worrying you must start trusting. It isn't that I never worry; it's just that I trust far more than I ever worry.

There are times when people think I don't care or that I don't understand how serious a situation is because I'm not worried. No where does Jesus teach me that my level of worry is a direct reflection of my level of caring or that it means I'm uninformed or oblivious. The truth is, it's all about trust and who you put your trust in. I've been trained to trust my Father. He has never failed me and He never will.

I've also been reduced to a childlike faith in my Father. This has been a long, painful process, but I wouldn't trade it for anything on earth. My childlike faith knows that my Father loves me and would never hurt me, leave me or forsake me. My childlike faith has cast out fear. I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death and my Father has never left me. And, of course, He's restored me as well.

Let me encourage you. The Bible is clear about how all this works, it's just that many don't want to endure the process of being trained by the Holy Spirit. Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered. We, too, will we have to suffer in order to learn how to die and let Him live through us. There is nothing superhuman about any of this. It's not I who live but He who lives through me.

Whenever I live the flesh is seen. When He lives He is seen.

And, He's not worried about anything.