My whole life, I’ve been familiar with the idea that to worry was wrong. The reason being that in the Christian life, to worry meant that trust was not being placed in God, and if trust was placed there a lack of faith was the only reason worry could enter the picture. Cognitively, this is a simple concept. Even those who don’t believe in God would surely agree that the Christian logic towards worry makes sense if only among themselves. However, in practice this idea loses some of its simplicity. Once responsibilities get numerous or more weighty, worry seems like a necessary component of life. To not worry would seem as not caring about important matters. Wrestling with this basic complication to the simple Biblical concept has proved to be a very valuable lesson in my life recently. One I suspect I will learn over and over again, as life progresses and brings new complications to the table, and as God pulls me closer to Himself.
The heart of the idea that worry is wrong comes from Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:25-34.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. [NIV]
In my life I’ve been worried about a lot of things, both very important and very stupid. I’ve come to realize that there is both a wrong and a right way to be concerned or, for lack of better words, worried about certain things, and that it takes a clear Biblical definition of what worry is to know the difference. In order to do that I’m going to post the six New Testament occurrences of μέριμνα (merimna), the noun form or worry, and the nineteen occurrences of μεριμνάω (merimnao), the verb form. For those concerned about proper interpretation and not taking scripture out of context, which you all should be, I will address the context of certain passages where necessary for clarification of what I’m saying, but will leave the extensive reading for your personal enjoyment. Feel free to fill me in on any disagreements. After posting the verses I will address what I feel to be the obvious implications for a Christian understanding towards worry, how it should affect all our lives, and how it has specifically affected mine.
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. [Matthew 13:22]
…but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. [Mark 4:19]
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. [Luke 8:14]
Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. [Luke 21:34]
Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. [2 Corinthians 11:28]
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5:7]
Simply from examining the noun form of worry in the NT, you see a profound reality take shape. The parable of the sower and the seed makes its way in all three synoptic Gospels, which point to worries of this life being the reason that God’s Word becomes unfruitful and preventing spiritual maturity. These are people who have received God’s Word and His truth, but because they were more worried about other things, job, family, friends, status, their maturity was cut short and the idea in these passages seems to indicate that they turn away all together. Materialism is the idol that becomes god in these peoples lives. How many Christians are there in this situation? Sadly there are many, especially in our churches. Luke 21 addresses the end of the age, and warns against worrying for materialistic things again, with the mindset that the end could come, so be careful not to put wrongful stock in the concerns of this life.
Now in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul shares his history of being persecuted for the faith, and says the icing on the cake is his worry for the churches he’s planted. This is a legitimate concern. This is not sinful worry about greedy materialistic desires. Even so, he finishes the passage by saying “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying” [2 Cor. 29-31]. This is the end to a tirade against false teachers in Corinth, when Paul purposefully goes on about all he has been through to show his authority to judge their situation. But he ends by pointing out the fact that this highlights his weakness, and by extension the strenth of God. 1 Peter is a great summation of how a Chritian deals with anxiety, all our worries must be cast upon Christ, the sinful ones in order for repentance and the legitimate ones to prevent sinning. Before making anymore conclusions, let us move on to the occurrences of the verb worry in the NT.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. [Matthew 6:25-34]
But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. [Matthew 10:19-20]
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ [Luke 10:41]
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. [Luke 12:11-12]
Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [Luke 12:22-34]
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. [1Corinthians 7:32-35]
But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [1 Corinthians 12:24-25]
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. [Philippians 2:19-21]
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [Philippians 4:6]
There are a great number of overlapping themes and theological points to be made in these passages. However, focussing on worry alone, there seems to be a clear way to see both sinful and sinless types of worry. Sinful worry has to do with doubting God’s ability, whether consciuosly or unconsciously, to meet your basic physical and spiritual needs. It is also a worry that leads to despair and depression. Sinless or Godly worry is in relation to the spiritual welfare of others and in relation to obedience to God. “Seek the Kingdom,” it says in Luke 12, or more plainly stated in Matthew 6 and as quoted in a popular hymn, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Worry is a sin when it has replaced seeking God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. Godly worry, or more accurately stated in English, Godly concern is tied to seeking His Kingdom. It is being concerned with the things God is concerned about, being sensitive to the things that He is sensitive to. It is letting your emotions give way to the same things that cause God’s emotions to give way. The only way to know what God is concerned with is to know the Word and to listen to Him. Hence, my belief that listening to God is the foundational precept and practice for Christian living.
I’m afraid there are too many Christians for whom some of these passages will make no sense, because they have never experienced following God and listening to Him that closely. What Christian will care that the Spirit of God will give them the words they need to say in life or death situations when they have never risked their lives or anything else for Him? What Christian will care about whether or not to get married and have their attention divided between worldly affairs and God’s affairs when no one has every shown or told them they need to ask God if, when, who and how to marry? What Christian will even know the danger of not seeking God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first, when their whole life their church and family have sought the righteousness of friends, political parties and their leaders, their country, and their favorite celebrities without distinguishing or even trying to understand the difference between what God says is worth caring about and what the world does?
I have discovered that Godless worry leads needlessly to despair, deep confusion, depression, idolatry, mediocraty, hatred, arrogance and many other sins. However, Godly worry leads to intercession, deep prayer, excellence, sorrow that leads to repentance, spiritual renewal, deeper faith, Godly kindness, harsh and theologically correct anger, and all kinds of love. Whether or not one is worrying in either way depends on if they are truly listening to God or not. I hope this is as helpful a lesson to you as it has been and is being to me. As I encounter further responsibilities and greater visions in life, I pray now for my future self, that I will then as now by God’s grace seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first. I hope you do the same.
