DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY

The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
Don’t Worry Be Happy

In the late 1980’s Bobby McFerrin released a fun little song guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It had a sweet phrase that simply said, “Don’t worry, be happy!” Even though most saw it as a simplistic and a little unrealistic, it achieved its goal of lifting the burden one was bearing if even for only a few minutes. McFerrin picked up the phrase from an Indian sage in the 1800s. The song demonstrated the idea that words carry impact. Whenever it was played, people would lay their burdens aside, at least temporarily and would sing along.

The song is almost, that’s almost biblical. While you can’t just decide to be happy instead of worrying. However, it is true that worry will get in the way of a person’s happiness. I saw a sign somewhere that read, “Worry does not solve the problems of tomorrow, but it will suck the joy out of today.”

In his famous Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the 6th chapter of Matthew, Jesus warns that anxiety (worry) is useless to the one expressing it. He tells us to “be anxious for nothing.” Jesus ultimately tells us that worrying about it won’t add a single cubit to your life.
Why do people worry when they know that God has control of everything and they have claimed to place their lives in his hands. The real reason most of us worry is because we don’t fully trust God to take care of us. We look around and see the many possible troubles the world has out there for us and forget to trust God to handle it.

McFerrin wisely stated, “in every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double.”

This Sunday, I’ll share a message with you titled The Cure for Worry Warts based on Philippians 4:4-9. If worry is your struggle you won’t want to miss this message.

Happily trusting God,
Jon