“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; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).

Anxiety is a universal human problem. We all worry sometimes. Some people worry about many things. They fear real problems they are going through, but they also imagine worst-case scenarios that will probably never happen. Some people are so bound by anxiety that they have been diagnosed with an emotional disorder.

When problems emerge, many of us will first try to figure out how we can solve the problem. We might decide to fix it ourselves and might only pray about it when our efforts fail. Maybe we will compromise our convictions, committing “white lies” and “little sins” to achieve our goals. When our efforts fail or we do not know what to do, we try to figure things out ourselves, which leads to worry or panic.

Jesus tells us, “Do not worry. Do not be anxious about food, drink, clothing, any other needs, or the future.” His Father is in control. We should not fear.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. 33). To avoid anxiety, we need a new perspective and new priorities. When we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we develop a new set of values. Our priorities should include seeing God glorified through our lives. Our first desire is to know Him deeply as Lord and Savior. Our primary goal is eternity in heaven; anything that deters us from that becomes a distraction or obstacle.

When we seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, we will learn to trust Him and see His faithfulness in our lives. Our human resources will fail us at times. Our efforts and cleverness are finite at best. The economy will rise and fall in response to market forces, world events, political intrigues, and the weather, among other things. Our government will fail us. (I find it hard to believe how many people trust the government to take care of them when, not so long ago, nobody trusted politicians!) Our employers may terminate our employment as soon as it becomes financially expedient.

Only God is unchangeable and faithful. Let us look to Him for provision and protection. Instead of worrying, panicking, and plotting, we should begin by expressing our needs to Him in prayer and waiting for Him to act on our behalf:

“{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).

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Lord God, when problems invade our lives, it is easy for us to worry, obsess—maybe even panic. At those times, remind us of Your presence, how You have promised that You will never leave or forsake us. Stir our hearts to cast all our cares upon You, knowing that You care about us and every burden we bear. May we always seek first Your kingdom and righteousness, knowing that You will provide all that we need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How has God helped you when it would have been easy to worry or become anxious? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments field below.

Copyright © 2024 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.