Worry Not

I have a confession to make. As an ardent Protestant, I have no earthly priest to go confessing, but admitting sin is still relief to the soul. What am I about to reveal? Cavorting with wantons? Pilfering the coffers? Heading an international crime syndicate? No. I am a worrier. I sometimes find myself troubled by potential problems, haunted by the spectres of things to come. Will the churches be closed down next month? Will the congregation deplete? Will we pay our way? Will we become as stagnant and moribund as some of the churches around us?

In Matthew 6ff, Jesus tells us not to worry. To go against this, and to fret about problems unseen, is to disobey Him and break His command. This we call sin. Sure, it is a more respectable form of sin than other examples we might offer. Indeed, we might present it as a virtue, evidence that we care. In reality, however, it is old fashioned rebellion and disobedience. So yes, I do not feel at ease about the next few weeks, months or years, but so what? Managing the present and future is God’s prerogative; trusting Him to see us safely through it is ours. Let us not worry about this coming year, let us sooner trust our sovereign God.

Image by Eduardo Davad from Pixabay