Several years ago, Bobby McFerrin recorded a little song entitled, “Don’t Worry –Be Happy.” Here is what it said:

Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy

The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, Be happy

Now, who in this room buys that? Everybody worries, sometimes. To be concerned is to be human, yet, worry can be a problem. For nineteen million people in this country worry is a chronic mental illness. The fact that we humans remember the past, anticipate the future, and make choices about the present adds stress to our lives. The Biblical word for worry means to choke or to strangle. When worry becomes a noose around our necks, we have a problem.

I. What Are the Things That Worry Us?

According to a surv…