Stop Worrying
Most of us have a tendency to worry. Listening to the news these days can cause a tremendous amount of anxiety. We worry about our financial situation. We worry about whether or not we will have health insurance. We worry about terrorist attacks. We worry about our families. You name it we worry about it. Jesus had something to say about worry: “Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:25-34). According to Jesus there are at least four steps to eliminate worry.
We Must Decide Not To Worry
I know this seems too simple but notice three times Jesus says, “do not worry.” These commands show that worry is something we choose to do. God never commands us to do something that is impossible. Most of the things we worry about are trivial matters. There is so much more to life than food, health, and money. Yet sadly, many people never get beyond these to worry about things of greater importance—those things that have eternal consequences! Worry is nothing but a big waste of time. Jesus said, “which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (vs. 27). Jesus point is that the gut wrenching pain brought on by worry does not add to our security. It accomplishes nothing. When we can take this first step and decide not to worry we will see how it is a faithless habit.
We Must Trust God To Take Care Of Us
Jesus says not to worry about the things that we need to survive because God knows what we need (vss. 31-32). We must come to believe that God will take care of us. “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God has promised to take care of us. Our duty is to trust Him. Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). If we are going to trust God to take care of us we must eliminate fearful phrases from our mouths, such as “I just don’t think we are going to make it” or “How are we going to get by?” and instead say, “God knows what I need, He will provide.”
We Must Put God First In Our Lives
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (vs. 33). The third key to eliminating worry is to remove everything in your life that is before God and put Him back in first place. Truly putting God first means giving Him complete control over every aspect of our lives. The reason many Christians worry is because they have let their relationship with God move to the back of the line and put so many things of this world ahead of Him. We must make God our first priority in life. After all, doesn’t He deserve it? He also demands it if we are going to be pleasing to him.
We Must Work Through Our Problems One Day at A Time
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus tells us that we should deal with the demands of each day as it comes. We should not spend our time today thinking about tomorrow’s problems. We are told to deal with today’s troubles and let tomorrow’s troubles take care of themselves.
Jesus teaches us a wonderful principle in this text about worry. We can eliminate worry in our lives. It takes action on our part to remove it. Let’s stop worrying.
