Although the Bible repeatedly warns against fretting, believers fret because of others. Sadly, one’s worry can make the sin of others seem more desirable. We should not fret because of “evildoers” (Psalm 37:1), or “him who prospereth in his way (Psalm 37:7), or “the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Psalm 37:7), or even “evil men” (Proverbs 24:19). Some believers may fret about these people because of their fears, but the scripture offers another reason why believers fret over the wicked. According to Psalm 37:1 and Proverbs 24:19, fretting over the wicked is directly associated to one’s envy toward them. Perhaps believers worry about these people so much because there is a deep-rooted desire to become like them. This desire can be rooted in the fact that those whom we fear are viewed as more powerful, more in control, and even more confident. Eliminate the envy and you will eliminate the fear.
Elkanah had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah remained barren. Peninnah used this opportunity of Hannah’s barren state to provoke her, hoping that she could trouble her rival. The Christian’s primary adversary is much different from Peninnah, but Satan’s goal and resolve is identical to this example. The adversary, the Devil (1 Peter 5:8), wants believers to live troubled, fretful, and defeated lives. If he can cause a believer to fret and to worry and to complain, he has a much greater chance of turning that believer’s heart against the Lord (Proverbs 19:3). The Devil knows that if he turns the heart, he might be able to cause that believer to curse the Lord (Isaiah 8:21). Satan uses worry as one of the foundational elements in his multipronged attack to bring about his greater objective. He wants to turn hearts against God! Those believers who struggle most with worry offer Satan the greatest chance of success
God tasks the watchman with some tremendous responsibilities. He has to remain alert for troubles at all hours of his watch and cannot slacken his resolve to stay attentive. Yet, we are told that if the Lord chooses not to intervene, all of the watchman’s worries and efforts are simply in vain. Interestingly, the watchman’s job is to worry! The fear of trouble keeps him up at night and causes him to rise up early in the morning to do his duty. Eventually, however, this worry produces physical ailments within the individual. With these negative outcomes, the worry and anxiety also provide no solution for the problems of this life. Worrying has deprived many good people of restfulness and sleep without offering the desperately sought after solutions. It is important to note that help has never come simply as a result of one’s worry, and no problems ever resolved themselves simply due to the magnitude of one’s worry. Bottom line: except the Lord intervenes in the problems at hand, no help will be forthcoming. Worry is vain!
Prayer serves as the greatest remedy for worry and fears. In Philippians 4:6, God’s word tells us to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” This truth is reaffirmed in 1 Peter 5:7 where the Bible says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” A man can expend time and strength caring for the things of this world including the necessities of life, or he can make a conscious decision to obediently cast those same cares upon the Lord. This allows the Lord to show Himself strong toward the individual by caring for His child. According to Philippians 4:7, by choosing to pray, the cares and worries of man are replaced with “the peace of God.” The Bible describes this peace as one that keeps the believer’s heart and mind through Christ Jesus and even passes one’s ability to comprehend its depths and riches.
Believers are commanded to “Be careful for nothing.” Contextually, the word careful means to be care full or full of cares. That being said, this is one of the most disobeyed commands in all of scripture. In Matthew 6:25, the Lord warned His disciples against dwelling upon or worrying about what they would eat, or drink, or how they would be clothed. The Lord’s rebuke implies that not even the necessities of life should serve as a source of worry for God’s people. It is important to note that worry and faith are at opposite ends of the spectrum because they do not and cannot coexist within the believer’s life and walk. A believer who is “careful” for things cannot and will not simultaneously trust God’s faithful provision. When a believer worries rather than trusting in God’s provision and protection, the believer’s actions deem God incapable to accomplish the matter without the individual contributing his “carefulness.”
It is easy to tell others what to do and how to do it, but very unwise to fail to follow one’s own instructions and teachings. In fact, man naturally seems to want to place greater burdens upon others than he himself is willing to bear. This was one of the primary issues addressed by those attending the council of Acts chapter 15 in Jerusalem. Peter concluded with the other apostles in agreement that it was not right to ask others to bear a yoke that previous generations were unable to bear (Acts 15:10). This does not mean that believers change their teaching to fit their obedience. Rather, believers ought to obey the truth and teach these truths to others. How many preachers and teachers have spoken about subject matters only to refuse to obey the very truths they have taught to others?
Paul served as Timothy’s mentor. In fact, Paul referred to Timothy as his “son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). As Timothy’s mentor, Paul gave Timothy truths with the intent that he would pass along those teachings to other believers. Though there are certainly variations of what should be taught, Paul laid out two foundational categories when he mentioned “words of faith and of good doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:6). Though specifics are given in the epistles of First and Second Timothy and Titus, every teaching should reflect the categories set forth by the apostle Paul. Even practical teaching ought to be based upon the words of God, as some teachings are good (2 Thessalonians 2:15), and some are bad (Matthew 15:9). Every teacher should teach with hopes of eventually learning from his students when they too become the teachers.
Those with their ear toward the world have many accessible teachers. Unfortunately, far too frequently, that which is being taught contradicts the plain teaching of scripture. In order to combat the propagation of false teaching, the Lord calls upon His people to teach the truth. God placed men within the New Testament church to spread the truth through teaching and preaching (Acts 13:1). He placed older men and women in the church in order to teach the younger men and women (Titus 2:1-8). He placed godly moms and dads in the home to teach the children. Every believer should have a desire to come to a point where he or she can teach others. According to the scriptures, this is the will of God (Hebrews 5:12).
The prevailing philosophy today seems to be that each person should be allowed to do what is right in his own eyes. With this philosophy, anything goes! Unfortunately, even Christians have bought into this wicked mindset as they raise their children and allow them to decide what to believe to be true. This contradicts the very foundation of biblical faith that teaches believers to pass on the truths that they have received. The Lord called Moses to the mount to receive commandments with the end purpose that he would teach the people what he had received. This theme was quite common in the history of the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:9-10). God gave His truth to His people with instructions to give those truths to others. The New Testament follows this same pattern. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
The book of Proverbs serves as a chronicle of a father’s instruction to his son. Those who approach Proverbs with a teachable spirit can gain much practical help in making wise decisions. In chapter five, Solomon warned his son to heed wise instruction. He told his son that failure to do so would lead to regrets later in life when the son would say, “How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!” Chapter one of Proverbs offers the solution to the matter: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning” (Proverbs 1:5). Those who are wise are continually learning. When an individual refuses to have a teachable spirit, he identifies himself as the fool that he is. Everyone has much to learn so be teachable or stay a fool! The choice is yours.
