In today’s fast paced society, it seems like being stressed and having things to worry about is a norm. If we don’t have something to worry about, it seems like something is amiss. If a student has no exams or is relaxing at home, the parents worry “why are you so free? Don’t you have homework?” Same for at the workplace. If our bosses see we have free time or have long lunches, they’d think something is amiss. There’re high stress levels in our society. It’s not just in Singapore but in many Asian countries; we work long hours.

If we don’t work long hours, and if workers go home early, people may wonder why they don’t have work to do. The speaker admits he is generalising. Nonetheless, suicide rates and depression/mental illness are increasing, because of the stress and worries people have.

Is this what should be normal in society?

A couple of years ago, Bro Daniel Chu mentioned that stress and worries have an effect on our physiological selves. It’s like rubbish in our hearts. Just like rubbish we need to clear at home, we need to clear the rubbish in our hearts. If we don’t clear the rubbish at home, it’ll stink up the house and bring pests along; it’ll be unhealthy and unpleasant. Perhaps we may feel averse to clearing the trash, but because we know it’s our house, we still have to do it, and everyday. If we don’t, our house will stink. The same goes for our stress and worries in our hearts. Bro Daniel Chu said we need to take care of our hearts and minds.

Christians need to have a different perspective on how to handle worries and stress.

The rubbish analogy can be used in the worldly counselling realm. But as Christians, let us go back to the Bible. We ARE IN this world, we do face stresses. How do we face stress as a Christian? Points will be shared in this sermon.

Worry about physical things
Matt 6:25-30
A familiar passage.
v25 covers many things. It talks about what we will eat, our body and health, our clothes. From a practical realistic POV, these things occupy much of our minds. We may or may be aware of this. But sometimes these things occupy our minds even when we try to sleep. Many things are mentioned here. In essence, Jesus tells us not to worry about these things which are basic and fundamental to our livelihood.

We make a lot of plans. We’re concerned about our finances and job. As prior mentioned, due to our fast paced lives, we feel like we don’t have enough hours in a day. We make a lot of plans and schedule many things to manage the concerns we have. These are the practical aspects of our life. We cannot escape.

The issue is not that we cannot make these plans.
At the end of v30, it says “O you of little faith”. Jesus says when we worry in a certain way or extent, it’s a display of a lack of faith. In Matt 8, this phrase “O joy of little faith” is used again in the boat when there were winds and waves. The disciples cried out while Jesus was asleep, Jesus said this phrase to them and rebuked the wind and waves. In Matt 14, Peter asked to walk on water. But when the water became boisterous, Peter worried and he began to sank. Jesus used the same phrase again on Peter. If we consider these 3 records together, it’s trying to tell us that: the fault is not about being concerned about our worries in this life. There WILL be winds and waves. Being concerned about it is natural. The crux is: have we remembered God in this? If we don’t remember God or haven’t factored Him in, that shows our little faith. That shows we have forgotten God’s power; that God is the Creator; that God is the one who has given us everything in our lives. That why we pray before we eat because we recognise He has given us all. We thank God because our jobs and academic results are all from God.

But when the winds and waves come, we start to worry and our emotions get the better of us. We forget about God and worry. Such a worry is not according to God’s will or way, because we fail to acknowledge God at this point of our life. Hence Jesus’ usage of the phrase “o you of little faith”. This displeases God.

Matt 6:32
“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
If we worry and have not factored in God, we act just like the Gentiles. While we can be concerned about all these things, understand that at the end of the day, God is in control and will provide everything for us. Just like the flowers and grass in the field. The latter part of the verse tells us that while we can be worried, we don’t need to be worried like it’s the end of the world or we’re at wit’s end. Instead, it’s a time to acknowledge God is in control. Hence v34 says “Therefore we need to seek the Kingdom of God first and His righteousness.”

For an affluent society like Singapore, what takes up most of our minds is how we can fulfil our worldly desires. We spend so much time googling good places to eat and enjoy; how to grow our money to buy bigger cars and houses. In v32, this is exactly what people of the world are after. These are the goals people of an affluent society seek after. This is something we ought to be wary about.

Worry when things don’t go well
The speaker admits it’s a personal character trait of his to plan everything out. He even makes plans for plans that don’t go well. He thinks about the possibilities; about what can go wrong, just to cover all uncertainties. But the Bible also teaches us on this aspect.

Jas 4:13-16
For some of us, what these verses say is what we worry about. Especially in Singapore’s educated society, we make plans. We’re taught to be efficient, effective and productive. So we make many plans and schedule many things to cover more grounds. But here the Bible tells us that as Christians, we need to factor God in too. Certain things don’t go well. Instead of relying on our plans and trying to consider our options, we need to be still and consider what God’s will in all this is. Perhaps it’s God’s will to tell us “you’re not in control. I am.” Perhaps it’s to tell us not to be so confident and sure of ourselves. It is God who is in control of everything.

Bro Eng Guan spoke a sermon several weeks ago about the love story of Joseph (with his father, with his brothers). His life was really bad. What plans could he make. Everything was in probabilities. In every situation, he did his best. In Potiphar’s house, he did his due diligence and conducted himself well. Yet he was wrongly accused and thrown into jail. In jail he conducted himself well too, yet he was forgotten. He was in no control of his life. Yet at the end of it all, he knows that this is God’s will for him. Because when his father died and his brothers became afraid that Joseph would take revenge, Joseph assured his brothers “you meant evil. But God meant it for good.” So in such situations, Joseph didn’t murmur, curse or get angry. He probably felt negative emotions. Again it’s not wrong to get worried, be angry, fear or be sad. But we must reign ourselves back and consider that this is God’s will. If things don’t turn out well, acknowledge it’s God’s will. Then we also learn that godliness with contentment is great gain, and that all things work together for good to those who love God, things work according to God’s plan not ours, a man plans his ways but God directs his steps.

Worry about people
We may not worry about work, basic necessities, but we may worry about people. Because perhaps of conflicts, etc.

Just last month December, there were much Christmas festivities. In the speaker’s workplace, there were a lot of celebrations. It can be hard to stand firm and tell people we don’t celebrate Christmas. At the start of his working life, the speaker was conscious about that. It’s only natural because everyone is celebrating, but you’re the odd one out. People called him ‘the grinch’ (a character that hates Christmas). He doesn’t get so bothered about this anymore. But in essence: sometimes because of human conflicts and emotions, we’re afraid and worry how we face people.

Psa 37:1, 3, 5-7
David had a lot of enemies and in many of his psalms, he seems to complain about them. He’ll cry to God and say “these people are chasing after me. I’m overwhelmed. It’s very hard. It’s very difficult.”

But we see in v1 here not to fret because of evildoers. Our enemies have their way. In human conflict, things don’t go our way. But here David tells us of a solution v5 commit our way to the Lord, v8 cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret it only causes harm.

Because of human conflict, we get angry and our emotions are stirred up. But do not be too dragged into all these emotions. Cease from anger. Do not be angry. Do not fret. Sometimes in the course of such situations, we may act differently and take things into our own hands. We shouldn’t do this but commit these into God’s hands.

Isa 48:18
When we heed and keep God’s commandments, we have peace. Our righteousness will be like the waves of the sea. When we worry, control ourselves, be righteous before God and do the right thing. Like Joseph, God will deliver us at the right time.

Worry about church work
Haggai 1:4-10
In the Old Testament, from the history of the Israelites, God shows that the state of our faith and our lives have a direct relationship. When their faith was bad, enemies would attack.

Sometimes we worry about our lives. Haggai told the people, “We worry about eating, drinking and clothing. Still, it doesn’t seem to be ideal. Why? Because the temple of God lies in ruins.” What they should’ve been concerned about was the house of God instead.

Our priorities need to be correct as Christians who worship God in spirit and truth. Our priority should be the house of God. We look around church and there’s so much work to be done! If we were to be honest with ourselves, it seems like it’s usually the same people doing it. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. If we’re concerned about the house of God, we would find work to do.

Luke 10:41
While serving in the house of God, we need to get our priorities right also. This incident is familiar to us too - Martha was busy with serving and wanted Mary to help her. It’s good to be concerned and worried about church work. But a way we can gauge whether we have the right attitude is v41: at the end of the day, have we chosen the good part? All church work is supposed to glorify God. Some church work may be easier, some more difficult. All church work is supposed to grow our faith and edify ourselves; to humble ourselves to know we are serving God. It’s not that we’re trying to exalt ourselves or just finish it like our work of school work. All glory should be given to God. When serving God, we cannot neglect our faith. If not we’re worrying about it in the wrong way like Martha. We’re distracted by by the work and are just task orientated. We have our own agendas, perhaps our own pride. Jesus knows. So we shouldn’t worry about church work in the way Martha has. What we should worry about as Christians is our own temple inside of us. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we need to be concerned about the state of the temple in us. We need remain holy and consider our hidden sins.

Often when we’re weak, it’s hard to consider our hidden sins; to try to bring our heart back from sin.

Heb 3 says we need to be careful of the deceitfulness of sin which may harden us.

We need to be concerned about this in our Christian life. It’s something we SHOULD be worried about. It’s something hard to rectify.

While we make plans and worry about our worldly commitments, we also need to secure our spiritual faith. When we become weak, what is our plan? We need to plan for this too.

Conclusion:
From our stress and worries, we can tell the priorities we have. Our attitudes and priorities will affect how we handle things. A man of little faith worries about what the Gentiles are concerned about. A man of faith worries about seeking after the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.