“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt 6:27 NIV)
When I was in grade 5, I enrolled in “Worry 101”. My teacher announced bluntly at the beginning of June that several of us would not make it out of grade 5 that year. This caused my friends and I to spend the next four weeks in a state of profuse perspiration. As the days progressed, we began being visited by nightmares of our grade 5 teacher chasing us about, mocking us for our failures. He would eventually catch up, and once caught, we were swallowed whole (I had no idea my teacher had such a huge mouth!). The teacher would then belch to complete the operation. During those four weeks, we couldn’t enjoy anything. Food tasted bland and movies were dull. In fact, all of our favorite past-times seemed a total waste of time.
On the last day of school, the teacher wore a grin on his face as he handed out our report cards. Only then did we discover that we had wasted 4 weeks worrying over nothing. Every one in the class had been promoted to grade 6.
I stayed in “Worry 101” until grade 7, when I graduated to “Worry 102”. There was a gorgeous brunette in my class. I can’t remember her name at the moment (oh what worrying can do to you!), but I fell “in love” with her the first moment I laid eyes on her. I was the happiest guy in class. Only one problem, though. I was far too shy to even speak to her! I just admired her from a distance, and my days were filled with a “distant” bliss!
Then one day, to my horror, I discovered she had been unfaithful! The previous weekend she had been playing a game with friends, and as part of the game, she had kissed a guy on the cheek! Can you believe that? She was disloyal even before we even could get to know each other! I gave up on her and concentrated my attention on better venues: Music! At least music is faithful!
Every year after that I took the next level of “Worry”, and as you can imagine, as I approach graduation with my PhD in Worry, I’ve become quite an expert at it. Recently I was supposed to attend a meeting in a part of Toronto where normal people would never want to go, even in their wildest nightmares. Toronto traffic being habitually bad, I decided to leave my car close to home and rely on public transportation. This meant taking the “Go Train” to Toronto, then switching to a subway, and finally to a city bus. Having only taken the Go Train once, and having never had any experience whatsoever with Toronto’s public transit system, I began to worry. In fact, I got myself so worked up, that before I left on the trip, I believe I finally graduated with my PhD!
When I arrived at the Go Train Station, all parking spots had already been taken. What now? But just as I was about to disappear forever into the land of despair, a nice woman came out of the station. She must have noticed my worried look, for she suggested I go to the next Go Station, a few kilometers down the road. She even gave me directions!
From that moment on, everything went like clockwork. There were parking spaces at the next Go Station. I had just finished using the washroom when I noticed everyone heading for the train level. I quickly followed them, and the train arrived seconds later. As soon as I arrived at Union Station in Toronto, I had no trouble locating the subway station. I had barely gone down the stairs when the underground train arrived. One of my fellow travelers assured me that it was heading in the right direction, and I settle down to be whizzed underground, past all of that Toronto traffic, to my destination. As I climbed out of the subway station, the city bus was waiting for me. The driver even told me where I needed to get off the bus!
After my meeting, the same thing happened. I had barely crossed the street when the city bus arrived. At the subway station, I had barely gone down the steps when the underground train arrived, and once at Union Station, I had just enough time to take a much-needed washroom break before boarding my train for home. Why had I worried so much? God had taken care of me during the whole trip!
This experience made me think, and as I reviewed all of my former experiences with worry, I realized that each and every time, worrying had been a total waste of time. Why did I worry about my grade 5 teacher’s comments, when throughout the entire school year, I had made decent grades in every subject? Why did I worry in grade 7 over a stranger I was too shy to talk to? Why… I better stop here, otherwise you may start to become anxious about my worries!
Where are you in your “Worry Studies”, my friend? Are you nearing graduation with your PhD as I was? Believe me, it is a total waste of time. Your life will be much better off without those worrisome courses. Why not join me in taking “Fixing Your Eyes on Jesus 101” instead? I have heard that all worries evaporate when taking that course! Classes start in five minutes, and are held wherever you are. Just meditate on Jesus, and give Him your worries. He has promised to give you rest: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28 NIV)
Remember to follow the advice of Heb 12:2-3 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” NIV
Rob Chaffart