Dear Brothers and Sisters:
We sure do live in perplexing times, times when it is impossible to really know what will come next. How we need to know how to deal with such anxiety. Sign over a chaplain's door: “If you have worries, come in and let’s talk them over. If not, come in and tell us how you do it.”
In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today's physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with cough or chest pain or hyperacidity. In 90% of the cases, the first symptom was fear.
This is the opinion of a well-known American internist as expressed in a roundtable discussion on psychosomatic medicine. This is also the consensus of a growing body of specialists. Fear of losing a job, of old age, of being exposed—sooner or later this fear manifests itself as "a clinical symptom."
Sometimes the fear is nothing more than a superficial anxiety; sometimes it is so deep-seated that the patient himself denies its existence and makes the round of doctor to doctor, taking injections, hormones, tranquilizers and tonics in an endless search for relief.
It is reported that the newspaper counselor, Ann Landers, receives an avenge of 10,000 letters each month, and nearly all of them from people burdened with problems. She was asked if there was any one of them which predominates throughout the letters she receives, and her reply was the one problem above all others seems to be fear.
People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, their loved ones. People are afraid of life itself.
“Some are always fearing, and borrowing trouble. Every day they are surrounded with the tokens of God's love; every day they are enjoying the bounties of His providence; but they overlook these present blessings. Their minds are continually dwelling upon something disagreeable which they fear may come; or some difficulty may really exist which, though small, blinds their eyes to the many things that demand gratitude. The difficulties they encounter, instead of driving them to God, the only source of their help, separate them from Him because they awaken unrest and repining.” {Steps to Christ, 121, 122}
“We must fight every day, every hour, the good fight of faith. You will meet with many trials, but if you bear them patiently they will refine and purify, ennoble and elevate you spiritually. . . . Very great troubles are coming upon the world, and the powers of Satan are stirring with intensity the powers from beneath to work suffering, disaster, and ruin. His work is to create all the misery upon human beings that is possible. The earth is the scene of his action, but he is held in check. He can go no farther than the Lord permits.” {That I May Know Him, 284}
“If you will find heart and voice to pray, He will be sure to hear, and an arm will be reached down to save you. There is a God that hears prayer, and when all other resources fail, He is your refuge, a very present help in time of trouble. . . .” {This Day With God, 184}
“There are few who rightly appreciate or improve the precious privilege of prayer. We should go to Jesus and tell Him all our needs. We may bring Him our little cares and perplexities as well as our greater troubles. Whatever arises to disturb or distress us, we should take it to the Lord in prayer.” {In Heavenly Places, 74}
“If with a humble heart you seek divine guidance in every trouble and perplexity, His word is pledged that a gracious answer will be given you.” {Testimonies for the Church, 5:427}
“Frequently I receive letters from individuals telling me of their troubles and perplexities, and asking me to inquire of God as to what is their duty. To those for whom the Lord has given me no light, I have often replied: I have not been appointed by God to do such a work as you ask me to do. The Lord Jesus has invited you to bring your troubles to One who understands every circumstance of your life.” {Testimonies to Ministers, 487}
"When Martin Luther received discouraging news, he would often say, 'Come, let us sing the forty-sixth psalm.' This psalm commences with the words: 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.' Instead of mourning, weeping, and despairing, when troubles gather about us like a flood and threaten to overwhelm us, if we would not only pray for help from God, but would praise Him for so many blessings left,--praise Him that He is able to help us,--our course would be more pleasing to Him, and we would see more of His salvation." [REVIEW AND HERALD, NOV. 1, 1881.] {Life Sketches, 258}
“ It is a misfortune to borrow the trouble of next week to embitter the present week. When real trouble comes, God will fit every meek and lowly one to bear it. When His providence permits it to come, He will provide help to endure it.” {Testimonies for the Church, 2:641}
During World War II, the Germans forced many twelve- and thirteen-year-old boys into the Junior Gestapo. These boys were treated very harshly and given inhumane jobs to perform. When the war ended, most had lost track of their families and wandered without food or shelter.
As part of an aid program to post-war Germany, many of these youths were placed in tent cities. Here doctors and psychologists worked with the boys in an attempt to restore their mental and physical health. They found that many of the boys would awaken in the middle of the night, screaming in terror.
One doctor had an idea for handling that fear. After feeding the boys a large meal, he put them to bed with a piece of bread in their hands, which they were told to save until morning. The boys then slept soundly because, after so many years of hunger, they finally had the assurance of food for the next day.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25-34 KJV)
Por tanto os digo: No os congojéis por vuestra vida, qué habéis de comer, ó que habéis de beber; ni por vuestro cuerpo, qué habéis de vestir: ¿no es la vida más que el alimento, y el cuerpo que el vestido? Mirad las aves del cielo, que no siembran, ni siegan, ni allegan en alfolíes; y vuestro Padre celestial las alimenta. ¿No sois vosotros mucho mejores que ellas?. Mas ¿quién de vosotros podrá, congojándose, añadir á su estatura un codo? Y por el vestido ¿por qué os congojáis? Reparad los lirios del campo, cómo crecen; no trabajan ni hilan; Mas os digo, que ni aun Salomón con toda su gloria fué vestido así como uno de ellos. Y si la hierba del campo que hoy es, y mañana es echada en el horno, Dios la viste así, ¿no hará mucho más á vosotros, hombres de poca fe? No os congojéis pues, diciendo: ¿Qué comeremos, ó qué beberemos, ó con qué nos cubriremos? Porque los Gentiles buscan todas estas cosas: que vuestro Padre celestial sabe que de todas estas cosas habéis menester. Mas buscad primeramente el reino de Dios y su justicia, y todas estas cosas os serán añadidas. Así que, no os congojéis por el día de mañana; que el día de mañana traerá su fatiga: basta al día su afán. (Mateo 6:25-34 SRV)
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1 KJV)
NO se turbe vuestro corazón; creéis en Dios, creed también en mí. (Juan 14:1 SRV)
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6 KJV)
Por nada estéis afanosos; sino sean notorias vuestras peticiones delante de Dios en toda oración y ruego, con hacimiento de gracias. (Filipenses 4:6 SRV)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7 KJV)
Echando toda vuestra solicitud en él, porque él tiene cuidado de vosotros. (1 Pedro 5:7 SRV)
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalms 55:22 KJV)
Echa sobre Jehová tu carga, y él te sustentará; No dejará para siempre caído al justo. (Salmos 55:22 SRV)
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8 KJV)
Bendito el varón que se fía en Jehová, y cuya confianza es Jehová. Porque él será como el árbol plantado junto á las aguas, que junto á la corriente echará sus raices, y no verá cuando viniere el calor, sino que su hoja estará verde; y en el año de sequía no se fatigará, ni dejará de hacer fruto. (Jeremías 17:7-8 SRV)
So many times we worry about things that are not happening. R.C. Trench, who many years ago was Protestant Archbishop of Dublin, had a morbid fear of becoming paralyzed. One evening at a party, the lady he sat next to at dinner heard him muttering mournfully to himself, "It's happened at last—total insensibility of the right limb."
"Your Grace," said the lady, "it may comfort you to learn that it is my leg you are pinching."
Beloved, when you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.
Pastor Richard Parent