I’ve come to realize that Satan’s main objective in my life is to make me ineffective. He knows Christ has my life and he just wants to keep me from using my influence to see that others make the same choice. He does this by attempting to get me off task. The tool he uses most with me is what I now call “the great diluter”. What is “the great diluter”? It’s worry!!
I am a worrier. I worry about everything. I let every little detail get in my crawl and I spent countless moments mulling over all the various scenarios. I worry, and it waters down my life. It waters down my focus. It waters down my passion. It waters down my excitement. It dilutes my life from being as potent as it could be for Jesus.
To be more potent I have to find a way to remove the worry. There are two passages in scripture that are motivating me to crush the worry.
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:25-36 (NIV)
What is the definition of sin? If it is defined as a deliberate act of disobedience to a command of God, then these verses tell me that worry is indeed a sin!! Very clearly Jesus says, “do not worry”. Therefore if I choose to worry (and I do believe it is a choice), then I disobey a direct order from my Lord.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Jason Austin, our Discipleship Pastor at Vintage, brought an amazing message from this passage on Sunday. He really challenged me. This verse wrecks me big time. To be “certain of what I don’t see” is so hard for me. I worry because the things I hope for aren’t always visible in a timetable that suits me. I do so because I lack the kind of faith Jason spoke about. No more Jack! I hope for big things and refuse to shrink when I do not see them.
Don’t let worry dilute your life. Be the potent Christ-follower this world needs!
