Learning from my worries . . .

2 Kings 21; Psalm 139; Hosea 14; Hebrews 3

I know these verses say I should ask God to show me my sin but realize this goes deeper than my actions . . .

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

The word “thoughts” is a Hebrew word for troubled or disquieting thoughts, not necessarily overtly sinful notions but worries, things that are upsetting. That definition says that when I am worried, I am not operating in faith, not trusting in the myriad promises of God. these two verses are asking God to check out what is making me anxious and show me where my anxiety is grieving Him because I am not trusting Him.

There is more. The Hebrew word “everlasting” is about eternal ways, the manner of life that God, from eternity past has designed me to live and to reflect His image, the image in which I am made. This is described later by Jeremiah:

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16)

Instead of walking as God created mes to walk, sin pushes me to make other gods to follow. His Old Testament people made idols with their hands. Hosea cries out against that and against trusting other powers and sources of strength:

Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan (homeless and helpless) finds mercy.” (Hosea 14:3)

What about today? Have I ever made idols out of governing powers thinking they will make my life better and save me from sorrows? Have I ever made idols out of my resources, my ‘horsepower’ and whatever else seems able to give me victory over the troubles of life? And what about the work of my hands? How many times have I honored and gave homage to that which I can do/create/invent rather than to the power of God?

The NT author of Hebrews comments on those who were saved from bondage in Egypt yet turned from the power of God and stopped trusting Him.

Who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:16–19)

My commentary says it would be wrong to think the entire Exodus generation was unregenerate yet certainly their exclusion from the promised land was a consequence of their lack of faith in the power of God to bring them into it. They did not believe He could give them victory over their enemies. This failure to trust God alone was looming in the lives of those to whom Hebrews was first written. The writer urged them to take to heart that any unbelief and lack of confidence in God was the reason God’s people did not enter the land.

Did they realize that Egypt represents a life of bondage to sin? Did they know that the promised land represents a life of walking in the Spirit of God in obedience based on trust? Had they not learned that idolatry is trusting anything else but God?

Putting all these thoughts together, the Lord is saying to me that I need to be aware that anytime I am anxious and worried about anything, I’ve not trusting Him. His alternative . . .

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5–7)

Anxiety can push me to “do something” apart from God in an effort to relieve my stress by the work of my hands. Worry can push me to “rely on someone or something” making an idol rather than turning to God. Anxiety also leads to “disobedience” and along with all of these, disobedience comes out of unbelief — which is grievous to God who knows that I will be harmed by the consequences.

APPLY: Like the psalmists who knew and told God what was troubling them, I need the same response when I’m anxious, remembering that “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) and does not need answers from God. I only need to pray with thanksgiving knowing God is with me, hearing my cries, and loving me totally. Worry seeks a visible victory yet faith knows God is here and I do not have to see His answers with my eyes.