Matthew 6:25-33 Trust God to Overcome Your Worries August 13, 2006

Just last week, my family and I were downtown pulling out of a parking lot around 9 PM at night. I thought I was driving on a four lane area with two lanes going each way. Then I saw a sign that made me suddenly realize that I was in the left lane of a two lane exit out of the parking lot. I was in the wrong lane. I was headed for trouble. I quickly obeyed the signs and returned to my lane. And all was well.

That incident reminds me in many ways of my whole life. There have been so many times in my life, when I have been cruising along with my plans and ideas when suddenly I realize that all the signs are telling me that I am going the wrong way. You see, God supplies us with spiritual signposts. And in order to remain under God's protection, I need to heed these signposts. Often times, my biggest problems are due to my going my own direction and the worry I feel is the sign that I need to change direction. This morning, I am continuing my series on worry and I hope you can see today how to trust God's signs and directions in your life.

I am sure you can think of times when you missed a sign on the highway and ended up in the wrong way. But what about the spiritual signs sent by God? How many of those are you missing? Can you think of a recent decision which you made that left you with no peace? You felt uncomfortable. You began to worry. You had a sense that all was not well. Those feelings may be signs sent to you from God.

You see, my sermon series is about overcoming worry, but we need to realize that worry and a loss of peace may be beneficial to us because it may be a sign that we have made a wrong turn. Listen to me. It is NOT God's will that we live in chronic worry, anxiety, disappointment, and stress. BUT when we make a wrong decision, a lack of peace can tell us to turn back. When we fail in reaching a goal, disappointment can push us to work harder next time. When we have a failed relationship, our unhappiness can move us to follow a new course. You see, bad feelings benefit us when they move us to a new course of action. Too many Christians misunderstand the concept of God's joy. They think they should never have any negative emotions. But these uneasy feelings are often signs from God. They are like highway signs that tell us “One Way,” or “Soft Shoulder,” or “Slow Down.” Now understand me well. The spiritual person who is dwelling in the shelter of God should not live in chronic, daily, long term worry and lack of peace. But when I take a bad turn in my life or am about to make a bad turn, these feelings do help me to follow a new course.

What can we learn from God's Word? Jesus says in Matthew 6: 25-32…. Jesus tells us that there is no need to worry. So what should I do when I do worry? The minute we loose our peace, we need to stop and ask, “Lord, what am I doing wrong?” We know that God cares for all the needs of His creation. So when I find myself feeling worry, I need to see this as a sign that I have traveled out from under God's shelter and hiding place. Because in that place, I am at peace. When I loose my peace, I need to realize that I have made a wrong turn.

Does that mean we never have any problems under God's shelter? I do not mean that at all. Christians have all the same illnesses, all the same hardships, all the same losses as everyone else. We live in this world of sorrow. But we are not of this world of sorrow. We will always have problems, but we can be at peace no matter what problems come our way. How can that be? Are these just slick words? No. Wise men and women for thousands of years have always known that what harms us are not the outward experiences and situations of this world. What gives me happiness or unhappiness is how I respond to this world. Listen. Happiness or sorrows are not out there. They are within me. So the next time you feel your peace slipping away, do not wallow in your worry for six months. Do not fret or beat yourself up about being unspiritual. Instead, see that worry as a sign and then ask God, “What do I need to do now?” Use this sign from God as a way to make a course correction in your life. You can overcome by following God's directions.

How can you do this? Look at vs. 33….This week, when you feel worry, I want you to begin to put first things first. Stop looking for answers to your problems, and instead, seek God. For years, when I faced big obstacles or decisions, I would pace around praying or fretting about that worry. I would pray, “Oh, God help me.” Now there is nothing wrong with praying for help but I have often prayed more out of fear than out of faith. Too often we spend our time seeking answers when we should just be seeking God. This week, when you have a worry, seek God first. Seek God's direction. Seek God's peace. Get back in God's shelter.

Will all your problems then go away? Under God's shelter, living life God's way, very many problems will go away. But some problems we will live with. But we can live in peace, contentment, and joy. We can discover that our happiness is not out there. My happiness is in here in the secret place of God. And no matter what happens out there, it cannot touch my secret place. This week, listen to your worry. Ask yourself what is wrong. Heed the signs. Come back to God's secret place of joy. Amen.