Don't Worry, Be Happy
Bobby McFerrin had us all singing this catchy little tune back in 1988 and many of us are still singing it today. Not only did the melody stick in our heads, but the lyrics left a lasting impression long after the song ended:
“In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double …. When you worry, your face will frown and that will bring everybody down.”
Happiness comes and goes in everyone’s lives -- even in the lives of believers. God never promised that believing in Jesus would mean constant happiness or a worry-free life. What He does promise is that He will always be there to help us if we trust and believe in Him.
Bobby McFerrin had us all singing this catchy little tune back in 1988 and many of us are still singing it today.
Not only did the melody stick in our heads, but the lyrics left a lasting impression long after the song ended:
“In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double …. When you worry, your face will frown and that will bring everybody down.”
Happiness comes and goes in everyone’s lives -- even in the lives of believers. God never promised that believing in Jesus would mean constant happiness or a worry-free life. What He does promise is that He will always be there to help us if we trust and believe in Him.
It’s human nature to want to control outcomes and try to fix our own problems, but when we leave God out of the equation, we demonstrate a lack of faith and trust in Him.
The Scottish evangelical Bible teacher and chaplain Oswald Chambers said, “God shouldn’t be our last resort; He should be our first line of defense.”
When a King Faced a Major Crisis
King Hezekiah is a great example of turning to God first in the face of trouble. Hezekiah was the King of Judah when they faced a major crisis. The Assyrians, the world power at the time, were threatening to seize the city of Jerusalem. King Sennacherib of Assyria, sent a message to Hezekiah to intimidate him. He said he was sending a powerful army to attack Judah and there wasn’t anything “Hezakiah’s God” could do to stop them. King Sennacherib told King Hezekiah he should surrender.
When Hezekiah heard this news, he was deeply troubled. He knew his army was no match for the Assyrian army and that they would probably capture Jerusalem, leading to the loss of many lives. Instead of trying to fix the situation on his own, he did the most powerful thing he could do – he went into the temple and prayed for God’s help.
“That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up in the morning – there were all the dead bodies.” (2 Kings 19:35)
Needless to say, King Sennacherib and his remaining soldiers withdrew and never came back.
Remember the Sermon on the Mount
The Bible gives us many reminders not to worry. One of the most significant Scripture came from Jesus Himself during the Sermon on the Mount:
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27) “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Like Hezekiah, when we keep God first, worry and our problems will become secondary. God only gave us 24-hours in a day because that is all we’re meant to handle.
So, next time life feels overwhelming, remember to bring your worries to God first, like Hezekiah did. Let God help you carry the load you were never meant to carry alone.
Your Sister in Christ,
~Mary Beth Leopold