I
heard an online sermon the other day where it was stated, “If you
worry, it means you are not trusting God. It means you are proud...”
Is
worry pride? Is worrying being prideful?
Definitions:
B1 Pride:
C1 Definition 1 (Source)
D1 Definition of worry (Entry 2 of 2)
1a: mental distress or agitation resulting from concern usually
for something impending or anticipated : ANXIETY
b: an instance or occurrence of such distress or agitation
2: a cause of worry : TROUBLE, DIFFICULTY
D2 Synonyms: Noun
CARE, CONCERN, SOLICITUDE, ANXIETY, WORRY mean a troubled or
engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this. CARE implies
oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted
by apprehension. a face worn by years of care CONCERN implies a
troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or
affection. crimes caused concern in the neighborhood SOLICITUDE
implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering
attentiveness toward another. acted with typical maternal solicitude
ANXIETY stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or
failure. plagued by anxiety and self-doubt WORRY suggests fretting
over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.
financial worries
C2 Definition 2: to think
about problems or unpleasant things that make you anxious, or to make
someone feel anxious (Source)
Quotes
B1 Evidently believing that worry is a sin is quite common
B2 Consider
those who teach that worry is
a sin. One quote is enough;
there are more online. In
its purest and most honest form, we are to take worry for what it
really is - a deadly sin. Why is worry a sin? At the deep core of
worry is really a sinful mistrust towards the things of God and an
idolatry of the self. When we worry, what we are really saying is
"God's taking too long to deliver" or "He's apparently
not good enough to meet my demands." This leads us to the
thinking that because God can't, we need to look for other ways to
get things done either on our own or through a functional savior or
idol who replaces Jesus as our way to promises fulfilled.
(Source)
B3 I’m not quite sure what he means by deadly. Loss of salvation?
God’s wrath?
B4 Instead, worry is not a sin but can be harmful. We need to get
help, not criticize. The words above are, in my opinion, abusive.
C1 Quote 1: (Source)
A Billy Graham answer:
Even though it's not a sin to live in chronic worry and fear, it's
not what God wants for people, says world renowned evangelist the
Rev. Billy Graham.
On Thursday, Graham gave biblical advice to a self-identified
perpetual worrier who asked: "Is it a sin to worry about the
future and all the bad things that might happen to me and my family
(as well as the world)? I admit I'm a worrier, but what's really
wrong with that?"
Graham responded that while it's "not necessarily wrong"
to have concerns about the future, excessive worrying is unhealthy
both spiritually and physically.
C2 Is worry identified as sin?
D1 Where in the Old Testament is worry, anxiety, fretting, etc.
listed as a sin? Here is one list of the 613
Old Testament laws. Worry is not listed.
Bible worriers
B1 Consider King David, Job, Elijah, Naomi, and Solomon. All had
depression, worries, etc. They are not condemned for worrying. One
article
on this topic.
B2 Paul: 2 Corinthians 11:28 NET Apart from other things, there is
the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.
B3 Hebrews 11, are there any worriers in the hall of faith? I’m
sure there was. Abraham worried about having a son, etc. Go through
the list. Our fellow believers had problems, worries, concerns,
difficulties, afflictions, torture just like believers today.
B4 The Lord Jesus, God the Son: John 12:27 NLT Now my soul is
deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But
this is the very reason I came!
C1 Deeply troubled is the Greek word
ταράσσω tarássō.
C2 It means (to quote Thayer):
ταράσσω; imperfect ἐτάρασσόν; 1 aorist
ἐταραξα; passive, present imperative 3 person singular
ταρασσέσθω; imperfect ἐταρασσομην; perfect
τεταραγμαι; 1 aorist ἐταράχθην; from Homer down;
to agitate, trouble (a thing, by the movement of its parts to and
fro);
a. properly: τό ὕδωρ, John 5:4 (R L),7 (Ezekiel 32:2; τόν
Πόντον, Homer, Odyssey 5, 291; τό πέλαγος,
Euripides, Tro. 88; τόν ποταμόν, Aesop fab. 87 (25)).
b. tropically, "to cause one inward commotion, take away his
calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity; to disquiet, make restless"
(the Sept. for בִּהֵל,
etc.; passive, ταράσσομαι for רָגַז,
to be stirred up, irritated);
α. to stir up: τόν ὄχλον, Acts 17:8; (τούς ὄχλους,
Acts 17:13 L T Tr WH).
β. to trouble: τινα, to strike one's spirit with fear or
dread, passive, Matthew 2:3; Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:50; Luke 1:12;
(Luke 24:38); 1 Peter 3:14; παράσσεται ἡ καρδία,
John 14:1, 27; to affect with great pain or sorrow: ἑαυτόν
(cf. our to trouble oneself), John 11:33 (A. V. was troubled (some
understand the word here of bodily agitation)) (σεαυτόν μή
ταρασσε, Antoninus 4, 26); τετάρακται ἡ ψυχή,
John 12:27 (Psalm 6:4); ἐταράχθη τῷ πνεύματι,
John 13:21.
γ. to render anxious or distressed, to perplex the mind of one by
suggesting scruples or doubts (Xenophon, mem. 2, 6, 17): Galatians
1:7; Galatians 5:10; τιναλόγοις, Acts 15:24. (Compare:
διαπαράσσω, ἐκπαράσσω.)
C3 This Greek word is also used in these verses:
D1 John 13:21 NLT Now
Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, "I tell you the
truth, one of you will betray me!"
D2 John 14:1, 27 NLT
"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also
in me. ... 27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and
heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't
be troubled or afraid.
B5 You might to read Matthew 26 and Mark 14
Bible words for worry and anxiety
B1 Hebrew
C1 דְּאָגָה
dᵉʼâgâh is the Hebrew word
for anxious care.
D1 Proverbs 12:25 NIV Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind
word cheers it up.
D2 There is no indication that this is a sin but rather an unpleasant
condition. A kind word can cheer a person. Blasting them with
accusatory words announcing they are evil sinners only abuses them.
C2 שַׂרְעַף
sarʻaph is another word
and is used 2 times in the Old Testament.
D1 Psalm 94:19 NIV When anxiety was great within me, your
consolation brought me joy.
D2 Psalm 139:23 NIV Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and
know my anxious thoughts. The Psalmist is extolling God for His
omnipresence. The Psalmist thanks God for that. Then the Psalmist
mentions how he hates those who do evil. After writing about this, he
is worried that he might be like them himself and so asks God to
reveal any secret sins. Worry is not the sin.
D3 There is no condemnation of worry. Comfort and concern are
offered.
B2 Greek
C1 The Greek word
μεριμνάω merimnáō means
D1 a. to be anxious; to be troubled with cares: absolutely,
Matthew 6:27, 31; Luke 12:25; μηδέν μεριμνᾶτε, be
anxious about nothing, Philippians 4:6; with the dative of the thing
for the interests of which one is solicitous (cf. Winer's Grammar, §
31, 1 b.): τῇ ψυχή, about sustaining life, τῷ σώματι,
Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:22; περί τίνος, about a thing,
Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:26; εἰς τήν αὔριον, for the
morrow, i. e. about what may be on the morrow, Matthew 6:34; followed
by an indirect question πῶς ἤ τί, Matthew 10:19; Luke 12:11
(here Tr marginal reading omits; Tr text WH brackets ἤ τί);
joined with τυρβάζεσθαι (θορυβάζεσθαι)
followed by περί πολλά, Luke 10:41 (WH marginal reading
omits)
D2 In none of these passages is sin implied. It does state that it is
unhealthy and potentially harmful but not sinful.
D3 It appears from the message of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 6:27,
Matthew 6:31, and Luke 12:25 that He is concerned about them and
encouraging them and helping them. The same attitude is present when
the Lord Jesus speaks in Matthew 10:17-20. We also we read about
Martha: Luke 10:41-42 CSB The Lord answered her, "Martha,
Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 "but one
thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not
be taken away from her." There is no implication that He is
accusing them of sinning. He is concerned for her distress.
D4 The same can be mentioned of the Apostle Paul in Philippians
4:6-7.
C2 The Greek word
μέριμνα mérimna which mean much the same as above.
D1 The Apostle Peter offers comforting and encouraging words, not
harsh and judgmental statements to indicate that they are sinning. 1
Peter 5:7 NLT Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares
about you.
D2 With sorrow, the Lord Jesus mentions in the Parable of the Sower
that worries can distract a person from the important concerns of
salvation, sin, and eternity. Luke 8:14 CSB As for the seed that
fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go
on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of
life, and produce no mature fruit.
D3 The Apostle Paul expressed worry concern about the churches. This
is the same word. It is NEVER indicated that this is sin. 2
Corinthians 11:28 NET Apart from other things, there is the daily
pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.
Legitimate worries
B1 Conviction by God of our sin. This worry is intended to lead us to
repentance, forgiveness, and placing faith into Jesus as Messiah. In
this sense, worry is good.
B2 Protection.
C1 Here
is a summary of one man. It is written in my words.
A man was painting houses in the summers between college classes. He
was often painting
on the second story of the
building. It was a high wind
area. More than once the ladder was blown away from the house. He
confesses that worry kept him alert to the possibility of falling.
Thus, it was protective.
C2 Another example I heard: A man was the head of the maintainence
department. One day he was supervising a crew repairing a building’s
roof. He did not pay attention as he backed up to visually assess
what work need to be accomplished that day, fell down a few stories,
landed wrong, and died. Worry would have helped him to be alert. He
had so many years in maintainence that he became overconfident.
B3 Protective:
any dangerous situation a person/s face. It keeps one alert to
danger.
B4 Protective: a victim of abuse and/or molestation might have worry
if certain situations triggering worry/anxiety. This would tend to
make them more alert and prevent being taken advantage of again.
Medical
conditions causing anxiety
B1 Note that the medical diagnosis of anxiety is somewhat different
to worry, but uncontrollable worry is one sign.
B2 7
Underlying Health Problems that Could Be Causing Your Anxiety by
Amy Myers MD
B3 Abuse can cause worrying and anxiety. It is medical not sin. The
Link Between Verbal Abuse and Anxiety That No One Talks about
A
good quote:
Sin requires an immoral action, sufficient knowledge, and
sufficient consent. To the extent that it keeps us legitimately
concerned about the welfare of ourselves or others, it is not an
immoral action to worry. Even in cases of needless worry, most
worriers do not purposely worry despite knowledge that they should
not. Indeed, in some cases, excessive, compulsive worry may be a
symptom of a legitimate illness, and therefore not a sin.(Source)
Some
goals for us
B1 Telling people they are sinning because they are worrying or
anxious is abusive. They are told, “If you worry, you are not
trusting God. You are proud. Repent.” This is abusive. It makes
them worry even more. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus that what
standard we use to judge will be used on us.
Matthew 7:1-5 NLT "Do not judge others, and you will not be
judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard
you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3
"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have
a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let
me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see
past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log
in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck
in your friend's eye.
B2 People need to stop being abusive.
B3 We need to help each other.
B4 We all worry.
B5 Listen instead of criticize.
B6 Believe them. To not believe them is to increase their worry and
anxiety.
B7 If a crime has been committed, then law enforcement MUST be
contacted.
B8 Offer empathy and help. If we offer help, we better be serious
about helping.
B9 Pray
B10 Direct them to professional counseling.
B11 Help them find a Christian support group.
Haven’t
we all felt this way sometime or the other?
Psalm
13:1-6 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David. O LORD, how
long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other
way? 2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow
in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? 3
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or
I will die. 4 Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have
defeated him!" Don't let them rejoice at my downfall. 5 But I
trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued
me. 6 I will sing to the LORD because he is good to me.
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