Between the Lines

Daily Bible study excerpts from my book: Looking for Contentment in All the Wrong Places 

How to be Content When you’d Rather Worry!

“How many of you can make yourself taller by worrying about it?” (Matthew 6:27).  Jesus gave a great discourse on the subject of worry.  He even had some humor in it.

Because God made women to be nurturers, it seems to be in our nature to want to worry.  While we study about being anxious and worrying, consider this definition of worry – Negative Meditation.  Meditation is thinking about something over and over.  Positive meditation would be what we are told to do in Philippians 4:8. Negative meditation is what Jesus tells us not to do in Matthew 6:34.

List some things that you worry about.  Now, circle the things in this list that you have control over.  Probably none.  If there is one, YOU have control over it!  Do what you can to change it.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Circle

• :7 Blessed

Circle the reason word

• :8 For

Hi-lite who is blessed

• :7 trusts in the Lord, hope is the Lord

Underline what happens when we trust and hope in the Lord

• :8 be like a tree, will not fear, will not be anxious

Webster defines trust as “one in which confidence is placed”.  When we have confidence in God (knowing He will do what He says He will do) there should be no anxiety.  We can confidently know that we are in good hands.  The roots of Jeremiah’s tree are fed by the river.  Who is our water of life?  When we are rooted by the living water of Jesus we don’t have to worry or be anxious about heat or drought.  The key is to drink from that water of life.

Luke 12:22-34

Jesus has just finished giving the parable of the rich man.

Notice the word “therefore” in verse 22 and always ask “what is it there for?”

• Circle it and draw a line up the margin pointing to the parable.

The words “do not” are a command to NOT do something.

Underline

• :22 do not worry
• :29 do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink
• :32 do not fear

When Jesus says we should consider something, take note!  What lesson is He trying to teach us?

Put brackets around

• :24 Consider the ravens
• :27 Consider the lilies

Hi-lite the repeated words or phrases:

• :30 these things, these things
• :31 these things

What “things” is He talking about?

Hi-lite in the same color

• :22 -your life, what you will eat, your body, what you will put on

Hi-lite in a different color

• :23 more, more
• :24 more
• :28 more

Double underline the questions, always note the questions in any passage, they help in  understanding the passage.  Jesus was a master at asking questions that would lead to understanding.

• :24 Of how much more value are you than the birds?
• :25 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (Jesus wants us to understand how futile and worthless it is to worry about things we cannot change or control.) :
• 26  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? (Do you see His point?  If you can’t do anything about the small, mundane things of life by worrying about them, how do you expect to change the “bigger” things just by worrying about them?)
• :28 If then God so clothes the grass, how much more will He clothe you,  O you of little faith?

Circle the commands:

• :31 seek the kingdom of God
• :33 sell what you have
• :34 provide yourselves money bags, a treasure in the heavens

With a different color, Hi-lite Jesus’ conclusion to this lesson.

• :34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus wants us to understand what is important.  Clothing and food are necessary, but when we spend too much time and money on either, our priorities need to be checked.

What does Jesus mean when He says not to worry about those things? He is trying to get us to lean on Him and  trust Him.  We tend to forget how valuable we are in God’s sight.  When we worry, we lack faith and trust.

There is a difference between worry and concern.  Concern is to care or be troubled by a situation.  Worry is to be anxious and dwell on it to the point of mental anguish.

Our Heavenly Father knows what we need.  When we worry, we are doubting His loving guidance and provision.  We have a good a faithful Shepherd watching out for us as well.   Jesus calls us a flock.  Do sheep worry?

Isaiah 40:11

Hi-lite the verbs:

• “feed”, “gather”, “carry”, “lead”

Underline

• “like a shepherd”

Do you see any anxiety in this flock?  The shepherd is taking care of their needs and has compassion on them.

To worry is to doubt God’s ability to help.  It is a selfish act.  We are keeping our cares all to ourselves.  When we take our cares and give them to God, we have submitted our will to His and given our minds rest and peace.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Circle

• :6 therefore

• draw a line to “gives grace to the humble” in verse 5

What are we to do?  Hi-lite

• :6 humble yourselves
• :7 casting all you care upon Him

Underline what God does for us.

• :6 He may exalt you
• :7 He cares for  you

Circle the reason word:

• :7 for

Psalm 55:22

Hi-lite

• “Cast your burden on the Lord”

Underline

• “He shall sustain you
• “He shall never permit the righteous to be moved

Romans 8:28

Cirlce

• “we know”

Underline

• “to those who love God”
• “to those who are called”

Hi-lite

• “all things work together for good”

This verse should settle our minds and keep us from worrying, knowing that even though bad things may happen, good will ultimately come if we love God.

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-18 and answer the questions:

• Name Elkanah’s 2 wives.
• What did Peninnah have that Hannah did not?
• Where did Elkanah and his wives go every year? To do what?
• What would he give Hannah?
• What is Peninnah called in verse 6?
• What does Peninnah do to Hannah? Why?
• How does Hannah react to this treatment?
• After the meal, where does Hannah go?
• Describe her “state of mind”.
• Would you say she was “anxious”?
• What does she do?

Hi-lite:

• :10 prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish
• :12 she continued praying before the Lord
• :15 poured out my soul before the Lord

• What does she tell Eli the priest she is doing?
• What words does she use in verse 15 to describe praying?
• Eli tells her to “go in peace and God will grant her petition”.
• Describe how you think she feels now (vs 18).
• What is Hannah’s “state of mind” now?
• What made the difference?

The scripture records that she went home with Elkanah and conceived and bore Samuel.  We see in Hannah an example of not just sitting around and worrying about her circumstances, not lashing out at her “persecutor,” but “pouring her soul out before the Lord” – giving it to God.  What a blessing prayer is and what a great remedy it is for worry and anxiety!