Is Worry REALLY a Sin?

DestinedForHeaven.com ^ | Sept 19, 2012 | DestinedforHeaven.com

[destinedforheaven]

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

It is hard to imagine how many times over the years I've been told by my mother to quit worrying. "Sarah, stop worrying...you know it's a sin to worry." Often times her next line was "Pray to God about your concerns." Often though I prayed half heartily which didn't give me any real sense of peace of mind. Not worrying is one of those things easier said than done. In fact God creates us all differently with our own set of circumstances in life that help shape the way we view the world. We all have different responses to negative things that happen along life's way. Many things happened to me as a child that I would do anything to protect my children from today. So many things stuck with me that were just hard to shake. A small example of this is how I was afraid of school teachers. I never wanted to displease my teachers in anyway and became a very insecure, quiet/shy student. My first grade teacher physically assaulted me for something that was an accident. Back in 1984 school teachers were allowed to use physical force. This had lasting effects on my outlook of authority

[Revolting cat!]

Now I worry that I’ve sinned worrying!

[Qwackertoo]

I’ll take a look and see. I grew up with worry.

[goat granny]

If you think its wrong to worry, you never have had a teenage son take out your care for the first time, or your daughter who’s date shows up at the door with a face full of metal gee gaughs (old words for junk that sits around on the table at home ) Or the horror of every parent, a child that does not come home and they find their body weeks later....You certainly don’t go around saying....What me worry......

[21twelve]

“When you have done all you can, worrying accomplishes nothing except making one feel bad.”

I used to have that attitude back in college, and my saying was “I guess the best that I can do will just have to be enough”.

Of course I was, and still am, delusional when I think that I have given something my “best”. But - there is sure a difference about being concerned, working hard on a problem and then going to sleep hoping things will work out compared with sitting on the couch all day fretting about something. And pretty tough for God to show you the way, provide you with opportunities, meet the right people, etc. if you’re butt is in front of the T.V. all day.

[Weirdad]

You should have posted more of the reference article as well as the scripture it contains, which exceeds your post.

The key is Philippians 4-9 (memorize it!) which tells you specifically how to get control of the anxiety problem that God recognizes:

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4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

---

Read it emphatically, and then DO IT, and you too will receive what God promises: “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

If you want that peace, do what that scripture tells you to do!

[fatima]

Worry is not a sin,it leads to pray.((((Hugs)))

[Secret Agent Man]

I think if you let worry overwhelm you to the point you seriously believe God doesn’t care about you, or doesn’t have your back, or is with you through whatever, or that God’s left it all up to you because He seems not to be doing anything, then yes.

Being concerned about things, and making plans based on those concerns, is not worry. Trusting God no matter what and making prudent plans based on concern is fine. You are doing all you can do, and trusting that God will do what only He can do.

[Secret Agent Man]

Not believing/trusting God is a sin. It’s the root of the sin of people that reject God. “It can’t be that easy.” “How can one guy on a cross help me?” “How do you not have to earn salvation, at least partly?”

But I don’t think being concerned about things and making plans to deal with those concerns is sin, unless you are so worried you are forgetting to remember God is in control and you can let go of the worry at the end of the day and are able to go to sleep. And even then, at unique times of great stress it would be understandable possibly to see why someone may feel this way.

[Secret Agent Man]

God certainly can limit what others can do to you, and he can intervene if He so desires. I am sure He has but since His interventions change what happens to you, you’d never know it in this lifetime.

Man has free will but it’s not unlimited free will. You only can do so much. We can’t break God’s natural laws for example. We can’t be in two places at once. We can’t wish things into happening on our own. Can’t see the future. Can’t magickally heal ourselves or escape death. Can’t go back or forward in time. And even with free will, man’s plans often fail quite badly.

[Secret Agent Man]

The simple solution for this is to just ask for forgiveness if you really aren’t sure. Never hurts to ask.

[cherry]

I’m a grand sinner....I’m so worried about this economy, this election, our financial situation, my wasting of money, my adult kids financial situation, and that was all worried about in about 25”.....can’t wait til I hit the sack and can really get into it...

[Secret Agent Man]

You are mixing up worry and concern.

Concern is not irrational, not based in a fear that overpowers you and leads you into depression, self-pity, helplessness, overblows the severity of what’s really going on. that is worry.

being concerned about something is that there’s something that has your attention, could be a potential issue with some possible bad outcomes, and that you may take some steps to minimize the negative possibilities, but it doesn’t mean you think God’s not with you, not in control, can’t keep you or others safe, etc.

That’s the difference between concern and worry.

[goat granny]

yep....:O)

[goat granny]

My husband was Polish, and I dearly loved his mother..she wore out more rosarys than most nuns...especially after 10 years of his going to a catholic school, the nuns kindly asked him and 2 of his buddy to leave..he then went to a trade school that worked on airplanes, that lasted a year. He was asked to leave. I met him his senior year in High school. My parents breathed a sigh of relief, he seem so nice....LOL

All of those rosaries seem to have helped, he turned out being a pretty good husband (most of the time :O)

[fatima]

need to read it again for my own sake.((((Hugs))))

[OneVike]

I wasn't going to get to involved in this, but now I feel that I must. This could be a bit long, so please bare with me as I explain myself.. :>)

If you think its wrong to worry, you never have had a teenage son take out your car for the first time, or your daughter who’s date shows up at the door with a face full of metal gee gaughs (old words for junk that sits around on the table at home ) Or the horror of every parent, a child that does not come home and they find their body weeks later....You certainly don’t go around saying....What me worry......

First off, I never said I do not worry, I said it is a sin to worry. What I said is when I do find myself worrying, I pray for God to forgive me for lacking the faith I need to understand that he will take care of the things I have no control over.

As for children, I have 3 children and 6 grandchildren, so I am well aware of the pain, heart ache, and long nights of worry that comes with children who will do many things I have no control over other than raising them to do the right thing, and being an example for them to mimic.

When I do worry, it means I do not have faith that God will take care of all. However, I do worry plenty, and when I do I ask God to forgive me for my lack of faith. I also pray for Him to give me the strength to live with the things I cannot control, and the strength to deal with the pain and suffering that comes from having children who are going to do many things that will hurt them, me, and even strangers I will never meet.

You must understand that God did not give us the capability to worry, that is why all the worrying in the world never salved a problem. God wanted us to take the things we would worry about to Him. He wants us to want Him and to go to Him for advice and comfort. When we worry instead of going to Him, we are telling Him that he does not have the power to care for the things we do not have control over.

Plus, if I can find them, I will share my notes with you from when I taught a lesson on worry. Or maybe I'll write an article for this Sunday and post it to FR on the whole subject from my notes. You would be amazed about the many medical problems that arise in the body from worrying. Just to name one; When you worry, your mouth stops excreting saliva, which leads to cavities and gum disease. Yes, medically proven.

So, worry not, but instead ask you Father in Heaven to take away your worry, and to forgive you for the times you failed to give to Him the things you cannot handle. He wants us to go to Him, just as we want our children to come to us. When they do, we do our best to alleviate their worries. Well, so too will God alleviate ours worries when we take it to him.

If we just had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains, and heal the hurt of our loved ones, along with convincing our enemies to love us. The one thing we need to remember above all, is if we worried not and something bad still happened, that our desire was not in accordance with His will. That is why we pray, not my will, but thy will.

Finally, when Lot lost all he had including hie children and his health, he did not curse God, even though his wife told him to. No, instead, he proclaimed,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD."

God bless you and yours, and May the good Lord strengthen the faith of us all so that we may use the energy for more productive things in our lives.

OV

[IIntense]

My mother was a big-time worrier. It appeared that if she didn't have something to worry about, she'd find something, and let's face it. We never have to look very far.

My good friend told my mom years ago that mom had plenty of faith---faith in the negative. Well, yeah!

[IIntense]

For by grace are ye saved through faith...

I never understood that. Does it mean that Jesus died for our sins and therefore we will not be held accountable for our faults and misdeeds; i.e., He already paid the price for us?

I was taught from the age of six that I am responsible if I break the laws of God and the laws of my church.

[goat granny]

Some times it is hard to understand what another is trying to say, so at times its like 2 trains passing each other. Only the one’s on the trains know where they are going or what they are trying to say...Its great when we can clarify to the other what we mean...it has happened to me and I am sure others. We are all coming from our own direction and sometimes as you say, rereading carefully can make you hit yourself on the forehead and say Now I Know what they meant. (((hugs))) back at you Fatima.....and I love the work you do with Kathy from Alaska and the canteen...GG

[ExGeeEye]

I have always believed that if the Bible says “do not (verb)”, then (verb)ing is a sin.

I concede the possibility that this one is just good advice, and if you follow it, you wil have a much less stressful life.

I’m not going to worry about it...