In today's
world, there are many excuses to worry. There
is crime, poverty, and unemployment. There
are fires, famines and earthquakes. There are
dental bills, medical bills, electric bills, gas bills!
Sometimes it is just too much for a person!
But, if you
think that you have reason to worry, remember the story of Job. Job lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless and upright; he feared God and
shied away from evil. He was a great man
among his people. He had many sons and
daughters and a wealth of livestock.
One day
Job's donkeys and camels were carried off by marauders, and his sheep were killed by a
hailstorm. The roof of his son's house
collapsed during a gale, killing all of his children.
Job mourned,
but uttered no words of protest against God. Even
when his body became covered with sores, he maintained that he had accepted happiness from
God and must also accept sorrow. When his
friends abandoned him in this time of trouble, Job remained steadfast in his faith in God,
never despairing.
Imagine the
strength God gave to this humble man!
It is the
same strength He promises us all:
...We do not burden any soul beyond its
means. (Quran 6:152)
If like Job,
we can put ourselves in God's hands, we can heed Christ's words:
It is not for your to be search of what
you are to eat or drink. Stop worrying. The unbelievers of this world are always running
after these things. Your Father knows that you need such things. Seek out
instead His kingship over you, and the rest will follow in turn. (Luke, 12:29-31)
There are
certain things in our lives that we have no control over.
In fact, all things are in the control of a higher power. We shouldn't worry about all these things in our
lives - worrying does absolutely nothing to solve our problems. With God as our ally, there is nothing to worry
about:
..Absolutely, God's allies have nothing
to fear, nor will they grieve. Those who
believe and lead a righteous life. For them, joy in this world, and in the Hereafter. This is God's unchangeable decree. Such is the greatest triumph. (Quran 10:62-64)
Yes, God
promises us that we have nothing to worry about if we simply believe and trust in God
while leading a righteous life. But we simply
must not lose sight of the fact that all things happen for a reason and God is in complete
control of everything in our lives:
... Praise the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all
my sins and heals all my diseases, he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's... he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far as he removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103)
... To your Lord is thefinal
destiny. He is the one who makes you laugh or cry. He is the one who controls death and life. (Quran 53:42-44)
- Lourda
Otero
