By Dr. T. V. Oommen
Worry, A Universal Problem
Worry appeared early in mankind’s history. The book of Genesis in the Bible gives some clues to when and how worry came into existence. When man was created he was free from any worries and cares, for God had provided everything he needed. He was placed in a perfect environment –– the Garden of Eden. He had enough to eat, and there was interesting work to do besides enjoying the fellowship with all creation and the Creator. If he had any questions, God was there to answer. He had no health problems, no fear of wild animals (they were not wild at that time), no fear of the unknown. All that changed when he sinned against God. He lost his innocence and immunity. He came under the influence of death and decay. Left alone, fear started gripping him because of insecurity and uncertainty.
Yes, fear from insecurity and uncertainty is the basis of worry. The future looks uncertain because there is no guarantee that things will work out well. Insecurity surrounds us because things beyond our control are operating in the world which can affect us adversely. Death and disease are not just possibilities but realities.
The Root Cause: Loss of Trust in God
When man sinned against God, he started fearing God and distrusting Him. This distrust is the basis of all fear and worry. Without God man feels helpless. Modern man may think he has conquered nature and diseases to a great extent, but the truth is, there is much that remains unconquered. New problems and new diseases appear as old ones are under control. So modern man with all his achievements is just as vulnerable as ancient man. He has as much worry as his ancestors, though it could be of a different nature.
Is Prayer The Answer?
‘Stop worrying, start praying!’ is given as a recipe to end worry. But I think this is not as effective as it appears. Don’t we all pray for our needs every day, and don’t we cry before God in times of trouble? The truth is, even when we pray we are under worry. That is why we not only repeat our praying, but ask others to pray for us. We fear our prayers may not be heard. So we go to our preacher, priest, prayer group leader and so on, for their prayers. Not satisfied with that, some go to places of pilgrimage to visit a saint who is revered after his or her death. Alas, most people return from such places with no answer.
Trusting God: Is It Easy?
When it comes to trusting God, we find it is not easy. Why? Trust, to most people, is like going blindfolded hoping we will not fall. How many are prepared for that? When crisis situations come, trusting means we remain calm and self-assured. Is it possible to remain calm and confident when we are facing terminal illness, bankruptcy, starvation, natural disasters, attack at gunpoint, and so on? Most of us would admit we cannot stay calm under such circumstances. We are not sure of the outcome, and we fear the worst.
What Trust Involves
Trust in God is not a blind act. It is not a leap in the dark. Trust is dependence with utter certainty. Trust is taking your dad at his word when he promised you something when you approached him as a child. Trust is believing your doctor that the operation is going to be safe. Trust is based on evidence! We do not trust anyone unless we have some proof of that person’s trustworthiness. That proof may come from other people’s testimony or our own limited experience.
God challenges us to trust in Him, and He is prepared to provide the proof! He has already provided proof in the pages of the Bible; and He is prepared to provide additional proof of His trustworthiness in your own life.
There is only one way to get that personal proof you may need: trust God the next time you face uncertainty! There is only one way to make sure the car you just bought will take you where you want to go: just start driving! Sitting in the car idle for any length of time would not give you the proof.
Does trusting God involve risk? The fact is it does. God may not give you the answer you thought He would give. Trust involves not only dependence and faith in God’s willingness and ability, but also the acceptance of God’s sovereignty. In His sovereign judgment He may sometimes answer you in a different way, and you have to accept that with gladness. When you trust God you commit yourself completely to His will. So trust and commitment go together. Trusting God gives Him the opportunity to work out the best for you.
Biblical Heroes Who Trusted God
Noah, the hero of the Flood, is perhaps the outstanding example of trust in God. He not only believed what God had told him, but acted upon it. Because of his trust, he and his family inherited the earth after the Flood. We are all descended from Noah!
Abraham trusted God when he was told to go to a land away from his home which he shall possess. It took a lot of courage to set out on a long journey leaving the familiar surroundings for the unknown. If he had not done that, he and his descendents would have missed the Promised Land.
David’s Psalms often contain his affirmation, “In Thee have I trusted....” In the face of opposition and intrigue, it was his trust in God that led him to victory.
Daniel’s friends trusted God when they faced the fiery ordeal of being cast into the furnace ordered by king Nebuchadnezzar. They refused to bow down and worship the king, but chose the ordeal. They believed that their God could rescue them from the furnace; but they added that even if their God did not rescue them they would continue to trust in Him. God honored their trust and chose to rescue them. Paul declared his trust in Christ who kept him going on his mission trips in spite of all the persecution he faced. As Christians we can learn much from Paul.
Christians Never Need To Worry
When I was growing up as a Christian, one New Testament passage that really got my attention was where Jesus told His disciples not to worry about tomorrow. He assured them that the Father knows what His children need, and when we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, all those needs will be taken care of. He said it is the Gentiles that keep worrying about tomorrow (because they do not know God the Father, and do not trust Him). Yet, when I looked at the Christians around me, even those advanced believers, I found they often displayed fear and anxiety when faced with uncertainty.
I have tried not to worry in crisis situations. Over the years I have faced unemployment, sickness in the family, possibility for failure from all the projects under my responsibility, and so on. There are so many things out of my control that can cause failure or poor performance. Yet I have refused to worry in those circumstances. God took care of each situation.
Summary
Worry is something that we have inherited from our fallen nature and our alienation from God. Fear of the unknown is behind all worry. God’s children have no need to worry. Trusting God is the remedy to all worry and anxiety. Trusting involves complete dependence on God and the acceptance of whatever God wants to do in our life. Trust has to be learned and practiced. The more you trust, the stronger you become. Only by trust can you be calm and confident all the time.
So stop worrying and start trusting!
About Dr. T.V. Oommen
Dr. T.V. Oommen is a scientist and Bible scholar. He has traveled the world doing biblical, archaeological, and scientific research. Dr. Oommen has written many scientific and biblical articles, as well as appeared as a guest on various television and radio programs. Dr. Oommen teaches courses on such topics as: Bible Discoveries, Creation-Evolution, Bible Prophecy, Christianity and World Religions, and so on. For more information visit his web sites: www.biblediscoveries.com and www.myresearchworks.com. Dr. Oommen served on the BRM Board of Reference when he and his wife Anna and children lived in Hermitage, Pa. They have been good friends of Bill and Karen for many years. |  |
