Simple to say, but hard to implement. Why are we anxious about almost everything in life? The word anxious is used to mean worried, eager with an undertone of worry, or someone in mental distress, because of fear of the unknown. Anxiety has become a very common word in the medical world. Their answer to the problem is a pill. If that pill doesn’t work, they find another one. Sometimes, there are medical reasons for this problem such as, not having enough, or too much, of certain chemicals in the brain. I find that far too often these issues are fixed with a pill rather than search for the cause. We live in a society where we expect everything to be instant. The Bible has much to say about this issue of worrying or being anxious.
In Matthew chapter 6:25-34 Jesus earnestly warns His disciples about being anxious and worrying about the things of this life. Jesus is teaching that we are not to worry about our needs. We are to obey Him and trust Him to supply them. He’s trying to get them to see the big picture of trust and dependence on Him. This does not mean we are to spend all we have on frivolous things and count on God to pay the mortgage. There are other scriptures that teach we are to work and be good stewards of what we have. Jesus tells us that life is more than food and clothing, it is more than material things. He is teaching them that life is more than clothing and food.
Matthew 6:25 “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?
Jesus then moves into the realm of examples. He uses birds as an example of how God feeds them. They are helpless creatures, but God provides for them. He poses the question “Are you not more valuable than them.” In other words, you are a creation that God made in His own image. You have a soul that will live forever, don’t you think He will take care of you if He takes care of the birds?
Matthew 6:26 “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?”
We worry and fret over things we have no control over. The things we cannot change needs to be left to God. Understand that you are trusting the one who created everything, and He is in control. His illustration for this is in verse 27. He uses our height to teach that there are things we have no control and we must leave them to God. We can’t add one inch to the height of our body. Jesus continues to give us more examples of how He takes care of His creation. He clothes the lilies of the field. They don’t put any effort into their existence and yet they are compared to the wealthy and lavish King Solomon.
Matthew 6:27-29 “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.”
He continues to give examples and comes to the point of the lesson. Don’t worry about the things you need. If God, the creator of the Universe, the all-knowing, all-loving, all-present God, can take care of the things that are not eternal, how much more will he take care of you, whom He loved enough to give His Son so that you can be reconciled to Him. We are not like those who do not know Him. We are His children. He knows what we need and has promised to supply all our needs. Note, I did not say all our wants! There is a huge difference between “need” and “want.” How would it look to those who don’t know Him if His children were left destitute, hungry, and without clothing to cover their bodies? He will take care of us if we will seek Him first.
Matthew 6:30-34 “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.”
We are to act differently than those who don’t know God. We are to know, and act out our faith in Him, by trusting in Him. Others should not see us falling apart as if we have no hope. If we will seek first to be righteous and desire to please Him in all we do, He will supply everything we need. How do I know that? Because He has promised. He will always do what is best for me, and I am to be content with what and how he orchestrates the provision for me. Greater faith is what we need to stop worry and an anxious heart. We must believe He is who He says He is, and that He will do all He has promised.
