Anticipation Versus Worry

Benjamin Disraeli noted, “What we anticipate seldom occurs, what we least expected generally happens.” People spend a lot of time and energy worrying about things that never happen. Fretting about evil before it comes robs us of time, energy and the opportunity to develop a new plan. Anticipation is not always wrong. We anticipate the winter season, for example, and prepare for it (Proverbs 31:21).

The useless worry—the one that debilitates and hurts us—is what needs control (Matthew 6:34). Useless worry is wearisome to the soul and a guarantee that trouble has arrived. Worry is trouble. Someone once said: “Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.”