About the Sport Principle
Top athletes spend most of their time worrying about things they have no control over: the weather, the referee, the crowd’s reaction, etc. We must learn from this. There is now lots of scientific evidence to suggest that the old saying is true: Whether you believe that you can, or you believe that you can’t, you are right.
Application to Life
How often, do you spend time worrying about things that you simply cannot control? What if my health takes a turn for the worse? What if I lose my job? What if my friends and family turn against me? What if…? What if…? What if…? Instead, take back control, and focus on what you can influence: And how much easier would your life be if you quit worrying about stuff you have no control over? Do you realise that worry is a sin? Jesus commands us to not worry. In a well-known short passage as part of his sermon on the Mount, three times Jesus commands us to NOT worry. It’s almost as though he knows we need telling repeatedly. Just like when you’re driving down the Motorway and you see a sign telling you to drive at 50mph; within seconds another sign flashes in gold: ’50.’ A third sign moments later stating ‘Police – 50mph’ starts to give you the impression that driving at 50mph is quite important. In the same way, in the course of a few short verses in Matthew 6, Jesus repeats his instruction 3 times. The problem with this kind of instruction of course is that it concerns our minds, and the way that we’re internally wired as human beings is such that if someone tells us to NOT do something, that very thing becomes very difficult to avoid. Try it now:
Polar Bear!
Whatever you do, don’t think about a polar bear! Stop it! Don’t do it! Think of anything, but a polar bear. What are you thinking about right now? Of course you are – the very thing you are focussing on NOT thinking about. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t simply leave us with this negative instruction. Instead, he gives us three positives to focus on as part of that same passage. Three actions, things to do that will cause us to not worry.
Firstly, we are to look; at the birds of the air and observe their carefree nature as God provides for all their needs Elsewhere, we’re told that not one of them falls to the ground without God knowing about it and giving His permission, and we are worth so much more than many birds!
After looking at the birds, we are commanded to see, really see. Is it possible to look and not see? I think so. It’s certainly possible for me. But Jesus tells us to see the flowers and notice, really notice, how not even Solomon in all his splendour was clothed like one of these. Then we need to make the connection: if that is how God looks after the grass of the field, here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He look after us, His children!
The final action Jesus gives us is to seek. We are to actively seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and everything else will take care of itself.
Did you know that over 90% of the things we worry about never actually happen, and yet we shrink our lives down to 10% of their God-given potential by wasting our time on worry. Let’s commit to looking, seeing and seeking God’s Kingdom today so that we won’t even remember to worry.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
Image credit: Hans Jurgen Mager via Unsplash
