The Lodestar

The Futility of Worry

Worry consumes time and energy yet produces no solution. Jesus directly addresses this, asking, “Which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). Worrying does not extend life but diminishes its quality. It fixates on what might happen rather than acknowledging what has already been secured.

Consider the Israelites at the Red Sea. Fear gripped them as Pharaoh’s army approached, but their worry changed nothing. God had already planned their deliverance, parting the sea for their escape (Exodus 14:13—14). Their anxiety neither influenced nor hastened the solution. God had handled the situation before they saw the evidence.

God’s Sovereignty Over the Future

Anxiety often arises from an unknown future, yet Scripture affirms divine sovereignty. “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:9—10). The future is certain to the Creator. He has already determined its course, aligning it with his purpose.

Joseph’s life illustrates this truth. Sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned, his circumstances seemed bleak. Yet, God had already orchestrated events to place him in a position of authority, ensuring provision for his family during the famine (Genesis 50:20). What seemed like misfortune was part of a larger design. Worry could not alter his destiny; God had already handled it.

Faith Over Fear

Fear magnifies problems, making them seem insurmountable. Faith, however, acknowledges divine authority over all things. The disciples panicked during a storm, believing they would perish. Yet, Jesus calmed the sea with a command, revealing control over nature itself (Mark 4:39-40). Their worry did not change the storm; divine intervention did.

Faith does not mean ignoring reality but recognising that outcomes rest beyond human ability. The apostle Paul faced hardships, imprisonment, and uncertainty. Yet, he confidently declared, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). His trust in divine providence replaced anxiety with peace.

Shifting Perspective

Worry often results from focusing on immediate problems rather than eternal truths. Jesus instructs, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Prioritising spiritual realities shifts attention from fear to faith.

Corrie ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor, said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” Her suffering did not define her faith; trust in God’s sovereignty did. Worrying about the unknown only drains present strength. Confidence in God’s plan brings peace.

Worry accomplishes nothing; God has already handled what concerns you. The future is secure not because of human effort but divine sovereignty. Trusting in his control shifts focus from anxiety to assurance. Faith acknowledges that every detail is already under divine care.

(Haunu resides in Dorcas Veng, New Lamka. In addition to her role as a financial steward in the Baptist Youth Fellowship, she is an avid writer who finds joy in crafting narratives in her spare time.)