Your Heavenly Father Knows: Turning Worry into Worship

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Looking Deeper at

Your Heavenly Father

Knows Turning Worry into Worship

Your Heavenly Father Knows

H

e walked warily towards the family reunion he’d avoided for more than twenty years. He’d tricked his brother out of everything all those years before. Now he was returning home. But what was he returning to? He assumed the worst.

The Bible tells us that Jacob was worried as he journeyed towards his brother Esau. It’s not that he didn’t show any faith; Jacob prayed, reminding God that this journey was His idea, reliving God’s faithfulness, asking for His protection, and holding onto the promise he had received (see Genesis 32:9-11). But we know all too well how worry nags away at us. Prayer may bring a moment of peace, but our fears can easily resurface just as strongly as before.

Apart from his prayer, all of Jacob’s actions seemed to be fuelled by fear. He revealed his worry when he said: “I am afraid [Esau] will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children” (v. 11). So he divided his camp into two groups, to make sure Esau couldn’t attack

everyone in his rage. Riddled with doubt, he then sent gifts to Esau, thinking, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me” (v. 20).

After this, Jacob sent his family ahead so he was alone at the back of the convoy. We could be kind and say Jacob was being the rear-guard—but seeing as the threats behind them had already been dealt with (Genesis 31:51-53), it seems unlikely. Jacob’s fear brought out some classic ‘delaying’ tactics as he put more and more people between him and Esau.

His moment of prayer was surrounded by fear, self-protective decisions, overthinking the problem and cowardly instincts. Jacob’s journey to Esau was a journey of worry. It’s one with which we can easily empathise, because we’ve all done the same thing.

But there are three fascinating things that happen in this story. Firstly, as Jacob tried to engineer his own solutions, God responded by weakening him. “A man” wrestled with Jacob, leaving him with a wrenched hip (Genesis 32:24-25). Now he was even more dependent on God to deliver him from Esau.

Secondly, God proved His faithfulness far beyond what Jacob imagined. Jacob couldn’t have dreamt of a better reunion with his brother (v. 4). His prayer had been a good one; he’d followed God’s leading and remembered His promises. If only he had kept hold of them throughout his journey. His worry and

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self-protective actions didn’t affect the outcome one jot. Whether worrying or not, God’s plan was always assured.

And finally, even after Jacob saw God’s faithfulness up close once more, his fear was still the loudest voice.

He agreed to go to Esau’s home, but didn’t want to travel with Esau or his men. Once Esau had set off ahead, Jacob snuck away to somewhere else entirely (vv. 15-16).

These are not the actions of a man who is no longer worried about his safety.

Worry robbed Jacob of a journey of thankfulness and peace, and replaced it with one of wrestling, anxious action and fretting. His worry was so deep-rooted that he couldn’t even let it go once the situation had been resolved.

We probably recognise ourselves in this part of Jacob’s story. Our challenge is to walk our own journeys with faith rather than fear. What we learn from the Bible’s vast teaching on the subject is that this isn’t as impossible as it sounds. Moving on from worry isn’t just about handling it well, but about using it as an opportunity for something positive: to praise and worship the One who already knows exactly what we need (Matthew 6:8). God has never been—and will never be—unfaithful. Such a thing is impossible.

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Is Worry a Sin?

W

e may be tempted to think that worry is not a big deal. When we compare it to other types of sin, worry really feels quite small and acceptable. After all, we live in a world which is full of reasons to worry.

Yet Jesus’ command is clear: “Do not worry about your life” (Matthew 6:25). Far from being an insignificant niggle, we need to understand the spiritual danger of giving into worry.

Worry makes us take on God’s role: Jesus

asked, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27). His point was simple: worry doesn’t do us any good. We cannot achieve anything through our worry, yet that is precisely what it drives us towards: fretful action that tries to wrestle back control of situations and outcomes. We essentially grab the steering wheel back from God and say, “Let me drive! You’re not doing it right!”

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Worry consumes our minds: When our minds

are fixated on the things that are worrying us, we are unable to adopt the mind-set laid out by Paul: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Worry directs our thoughts to ourselves, our weakness, our demanding circumstances and our uncertainties; but never once sends us to the excellent and praiseworthy character of God.

Worry leads to frenetic busyness, not peace: Corrie Ten Boom once aptly remarked: “Worry

is like a rocking chair—it keeps you moving but doesn’t get you anywhere.” There is a helpful example of this in one of Jesus’ encounters. Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Martha was distracted by all the preparations that needed to be made for hosting people. Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to all that He said.

It wasn’t long before Martha complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Jesus replied to her, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (vv. 41-42).

In that moment, the two sisters displayed the two options we all face in stressful times: the hurried action IS WORRY A SIN? [5]

of worry (whether physical or just in the whirring of our minds), or to sit at Jesus’ feet in peace. We may wonder how sitting still with Jesus is even possible when we’re worried, but He gives us a clue in His remarks to Martha: “Mary has chosen what is better.” We must make a choice: let worry lead us down bunny trails of fear and busyness, or deliberately step back and listen to Jesus’ reassuring voice in His Word. When worry controls us, like for Martha, we won’t believe we have time to rest with Jesus and know the peace He offers, even in stressful times.

There is such a thing as healthy concern:

Paul wrote that Christians “should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25). He also admitted he felt “daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28). But he wasn’t weighed down with worry. His concern for others was about recognising their needs and wanting to take action for their good. His concern was an example of sacrificial love.

We too can be concerned about Christians who are struggling, sin in our lives, the pain and suffering in the world, and anything else that isn’t right. But healthy concern is all about bringing these things to God in prayer, asking for His provision and seeking to be a part of that provision ourselves. It is focused on the power, promises and provision of God, rather than the size of the problems we see.

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Reasons Not to Worry

J

esus devoted a whole section of His most famous sermon to the topic of worry (Matthew 6:25-34).

But it wasn’t a sermon berating us for our lack of faith; it was an explanation of all the reasons we can live in faith, not fear.

“Your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (v.32): This is the very heart of the

matter. Whatever needs you have, whatever problems you face, whatever relationships are tense, whatever outcomes are on your mind, whatever questions you’re asking—“Your heavenly Father knows.”

When God sent Jacob back to his homeland, He already knew Esau was waiting and what He would need to do to protect Jacob and fulfil His promises. When Jesus stayed at Martha’s house, was she really alone to prepare her house? The One who placed the stars, filled the oceans and raised the mountains was in the same room as her! Jesus already knew the one thing that she really needed—Him. [7]

The most powerful antidote to worry is to take hold of the promise “Your heavenly Father knows.” This is the reassurance we seek when we choose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His Word. God knows what we need and He is already at work to provide. What’s more, He does so not as some distant deity, but as our Father.

“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (v. 25): We may worry

about putting food on the table, keeping our houses and cars running, providing for our children, having enough savings for the future, and any number of other things. Yet our lives are far more than just the sum of our needs. Through our faith in Jesus everything that matters the most (our salvation, our place in God’s home, our righteousness, our relationship with Him) is protected beyond reach. It is our eternal treasure in heaven.

This doesn’t remove the physical, daily worries and needs we have. But it does put them in context: these worries do not define us, and they do not need to drive us. We belong to God’s kingdom now, as citizens of heaven who are children of the King. Our lives are tied to the eternal power and rule of heaven. Our needs are no longer simply our needs; they are the personal concern of the King.

“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” (v. 26): [8] YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS

God’s provision is on display for us to see all around, whether for the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. As Jesus asks, “Are you not much more valuable?” (v. 26). We are the very pinnacle of God’s creation; His own image. It is unthinkable that God would pay such attention to birds and not to His people who can know, love and praise Him. Worry demands we look after ourselves and fret about how things will work out. Faith sees the hand of God in every moment and every scene, knowing that He will do just what we need at just the right time.

“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (v. 33): Jesus reassures us

that the things we need “will be given”. Therefore our minds can be set on a better pursuit: drawing closer to Jesus and resting in His kingdom and righteousness.

When we allow ourselves the space to sit at Jesus’ feet and soak up His Word, we get a taste of the kingdom of God itself, where we now belong.

It’s here that we discover our most fundamental needs are already met. And this is where we find freedom from worrying about the daily, practical needs we have. When we are confident that Jesus has met our eternal needs, we can say with Paul: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Jesus has defeated death and

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He has defeated sin—including the sin of worry. It no longer needs to control us. Jesus’ sacrifice itself gives us great assurance that God cares deeply about us and will go to any lengths to provide what we need (even if it isn’t exactly what we expected). It was true of our salvation; it’s true of today’s troubles.

“Each day has enough trouble of its own”

(v. 34): “What happens when I retire?” “What will I do when my department shuts?” “What will that person say to me tomorrow?” Uncertainty about the future often fuels our worry.

While we shouldn’t just close our minds off to the future, Jesus does direct our thoughts back to the present. Right here, right now, God is with us. And His provision for tomorrow is already planned—whether we can see it or not. Jacob’s thoughts were fixated on his meeting with Esau the next day—so much so that he kept trying to pre-empt what would happen. Yet not one of his actions changed the provision God had already put in place.

“Each day has enough trouble of its own,” but God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). When we are filled with worry for tomorrow, we can remember that God is already there, and already providing faithfully. Let’s instead set ourselves to walk closely with Him in the here and now.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27): Worry is an emotive battle, [10] YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS

so simply knowing what we need to do is often not enough in itself. We need a deep solution to a deep problem. And that is what Jesus gives us in the peace He offers.

During His last evening with His disciples, Jesus told them several times “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (see John 14:27 and 16:33).

They weren’t worried at the time—but they were about to be. Within hours, Jesus was going to be arrested. So ahead of time, Jesus wanted to reassure His friends of His peace.

He made two key statements next to His promise of peace: “The Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (14:26) and “the Father himself loves you” (16:27). This is our deep hope and our strength when we’re battling worry: we are not alone—our Father—who knows—loves us and is with us. This truth can bring calm to the storm in our hearts and allow us to move forward in His presence, putting Jesus’ clear teaching on worry into practice.

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Turning Worry into Worship

J

esus taught how dangerous worry can be to our spiritual and mental wellbeing; and He gave us many reasons not to worry. But how do we take hold of those truths so we can truly hand our worries over to our Father? How can we turn worry into worship? Here are just a few practical ways to apply the things we have considered:

Acknowledge: If we find our minds consumed

with worry, then we need to recognise the hold worry has on us and the danger it poses. Jesus warned that “the worries of this life . . . choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). The worst thing we can do is try to ignore worry or simply let it run wild. If we are battling this kind of fear, let’s tell God about it and maybe share it with a Christian friend or mentor who can pray with us.

Pray: Our Father knows what we are going through, He knows what we need, He is already at work putting [12] YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS

provision in place, and He cares for us. That’s why we are told, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Prayer is where we can put worry in its place. Prayer may not remove our circumstances, but it will reset our focus on the love and character of our Father. Setting our focus on Him keeps even our biggest worries in perspective; they’ll never be bigger than Him.

Remember: Perhaps the very heart of worry is an

uncertainty that God will come through for us this time.

That’s why the Bible’s pages are filled with story after story after story of God’s faithfulness. He has never once let His people down. He has never once failed to hear a cry for help. His ways may be mysterious—but they are always good.

We can particularly focus on the cross, where Jesus willingly laid down His life for us to fulfil thousands of years of promises that a Saviour would come. Similarly, we can look back over our own lifetime and remember when God has provided for us. Today, tomorrow, next year—whatever’s on your mind—will all follow the same pattern

Give Thanks: “In every situation, by prayer and

petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Thankfulness is such a wonderful tonic for fear. It is so uplifting to come to God in thankfulness, not because our cares and concerns aren’t worrying, but because our God has given us so many promises specifically relating to worry. When we are TURNING WORRY INTO WORSHIP [13]

prayerful and thankful—choosing to adopt a stance of rejoicing in our Lord—God promises we will experience His peace (v. 7). We won’t understand it; it is beyond our comprehension. But we don’t have to. We just have to trust Him and bring every care to Him in prayer.

Hold onto God’s Promises: We’ve read Jesus telling us that all our needs will be met and that His presence is enough for today. These are huge promises; and completely life-changing if we can really own them for ourselves. Holding onto God’s promises is more than simply knowing them; it’s about living in them, filling our minds with them, spending time reflecting on them and their impact, and asking God’s Spirit to transform us through them. Worries circle our minds again and again, dragging us further down. If we know how to worry, then we know how to meditate on God’s promises. We let them circle our minds instead, lifting us higher and higher as we realise the truth of God’s Word for us in our personal circumstances.

Praise: David wrote in Psalm 28, “If you remain silent, I shall be like those who go down to the pit” (v. 1). Whatever the circumstances might have been, David needed a rescue. Yet within the same prayer he wrote: “Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (vv. 6-7). Did David praise God for his rescue? No. He hadn’t experienced it [14] YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS

yet. Nothing about David’s circumstances had changed from the first line of his prayer, yet he was full of praise simply because “he has heard my cry” and “The Lord is my strength and my shield.” Praise was David’s way of setting his heart back on God—like setting a compass back due north.

Praise is the surest sign that our hearts are set on our Father, rather than our fears. It’s not an easy thing to do, for worry is a constant tormentor and there are always plenty of things to be worried about. Becoming worshippers, not worriers, takes time and practice. And we will struggle on this journey many times. But as we reflect on Jesus’ teaching, guidance and promises, and stay in the habit of handing our fears to God, we will find praise becomes more a part of our journey through the worries of life. Slowly, we will see worrying situations as yet another opportunity to watch God prove His faithfulness, realising “our Father knows” and is already working on the solution.

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