In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus asks a question with a completely obvious answer. ". . . who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"
I am engaged in a number of activities that I hope will enable me to enjoy my grandkids for a longer time-I ride a bike, wearing a helmet, take meds for my high cholesterol, watch my weight, use my seat-belts, and look both ways before I cross the street. Sometimes I worry about those things. Worrying doesn't help. Doing the right thing does.
I can't begin to tell you how many times I have counseled people, who are consumed with anxiety, to begin doing the Biblically correct activity to address their concern.
Let's look at an example. In this case God Himself is the counselor:
When Cain entered the office his countenance was clearly fallen.
Lord: "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?"
Cain: (No answer, no doubt accompanied by more sullenness.)
Lord: "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:1-7)
The counsel the Lord gave to the worried son of Adam and Eve is all built around the word "do." Stop doing what is wrong. Start doing what is right. A recent STTA identified two actions that are always appropriate-trust the Lord, Pray. Depending on what it is that is inducing anxiety in our lives there are probably other actions we need to take. Counseling is not magic. A simplistic description of good counseling is: Helping the person in need to find out what he/she needs to do and then helping them do it.
Don't worry. Instead, trust God, pray, obey.
It's STTA.
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