Does God want us to worry?
Catechism Meditation:
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insists on the filial trust that cooperates with our Father’s providence. He is not inviting us to idleness, but wants to relieve us from nagging worry and preoccupation. Such is the filial surrender of the children of God. ―No. 2830
REFLECTION. In his article for Catholic Exchange: “Does God Want Us To Worry?“, Gary Zimak writes… One of the most difficult problems that we must deal with in our earthly life is fear. We are anxious about many things and spend a lot of time worrying, often about events over which we have no control. In his initial speech as Holy Father, Pope John Paul II repeated the phrase “Be Not Afraid” three times. St. Padre Pio is known for his motto, “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry”. Despite such positive advice from these and other holy individuals, many of us still struggle with fear and anxiety on a regular basis. It becomes especially apparent when we face uncertainty in our lives.
We know that God doesn’t want us to worry. Jesus delivered this message on several occasions, most notably in the Sermon on the Mount when he warned us against being anxious (Mt 5:25-34). Unfortunately, the problems of our daily lives often cause us to lose sight of his message. Before we know it, we find ourselves forgetting about his words and being consumed by worry.
Based upon many other Biblical passages, it’s fairly safe to draw the conclusion that God does not want us to worry needlessly. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t prepare for the future and tend to important daily matters. Rather, it means that we shouldn’t worry about things which are out of our control. For some of us, however, this is very difficult. How do we stop ourselves from worrying? A good starting point would be to pray for an increase of faith. For the most part, we worry because we don’t trust God’s plan for our lives. Sometimes it’s very difficult to trust, especially when we encounter painful and difficult situations. Illness, loneliness, death, unemployment and other difficulties can place us in the same position as the Apostles on the stormy sea. While we should continue to petition the Lord with our requests, we should be willing to accept His answers, knowing that He will provide us with what we need.
PRAYER. Lord Jesus, grant me Your peace in times of anxiety, fear, and worry. Calm my restless heart and fill me with Your presence.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“All our anxieties relate to time. The major problems of psychiatry revolve around an analysis of the despair, pessimism, melancholy, and complexes that are the inheritances of what has been or with the fears, anxieties, worries, that are the imaginings of what will be.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen