A Message from Jesus: Having the Right Priorities cuts out Worry.
Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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?” — Matthew 6:25
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If asked whether I worry, I might say “Of course I worry about my life and the things that keep me alive; that’s because I care about my life. How can I care without worrying? “Most of us, including believers, worry occasionally, because we know that something might go wrong on our watch. To avoid worry, people may live by the adage, “Don’t worry. Just work.” But we can do better than that!
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives instruction on worry. To put Jesus’ instruction in context, the attitude being condemned is “self-consuming care”. We call it worry or, if we can’t clearly identify the issue we worry about, we call it anxiety.
When Jesus reminds us that the birds do not build barns to store food (in Matt 6:26), he does not suggest we give up working and other preparations for our present life on earth. Jesus acknowledges that part of man’s superior value over the birds is man’s ability to sow and reap. Jesus’ message is not so much about work, but about God’s provision, about our recognition of God’s provision, and finally about our priorities.
The worry that tortures us is a problem of misplaced priorities. If we are worrying, we can’t get past the immediate problems and we have forgotten the one who gave us life and bodies to be fed and clothed. Remember that our physical being is part of God’s plan, and God knows our needs. As He provides to the birds, and provides to unbelievers (that’s common grace), so he certainly will provide to us as believers. As humans we will care about something — we have longings and energy that must be focused. So, after telling us not to focus on our physical needs, Jesus tells us to focus our attention on the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Since “each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt 6:34), let God handle the problems every day. We worry when we fear that the results of our labor are out of our control. Well, it is true, the results of our labor are out of our control, but are under God’s control. (Prov 19:21) So, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Ps 62:8).
And remember, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). That means He will be doing the same thing tomorrow that He was doing yesterday. If you have any question about the future, look at the past. Did He sustain you then? Don’t worry—He will sustain you in the future as well. So … You can keep working but …. “Don’t worry. Just Trust Him”.
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“…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7
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— Andy Nordquist
