Therefore I tell you, do not worry . . . (Matthew 6:25)
For the three blogs this week, I would like to share a word of encouragement that can help you go a week without worry. Worry affects all of us which is why the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” the title being repeated more than 20 times in the song, sold millions. It resonated within the hearts of many because worry simply messes with our lives and “weighs us down” as the writer of Proverbs tells us. Before going on, let’s be clear about the difference between worry and proper care. We are to have proper care and concern about life and the responsibilities that go with living it. But we are not to be worried anxiously about it having lost sight of our sovereign God who can be trusted in any circumstance we are facing. In a simple statement, concern produces practical steps for the circumstance we are facing and worry paralyzes us.
To be sure, there are many ways to define worry, but perhaps, the best way is simply a lack of trust in God . . . who He is and what He has promised. Each day brings to us a myriad of opportunities to worry from our health to our home life – from our finances to our future. Jesus adds these specifics to our verse today, “. . . do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.” And what is the reason why we are not to worry? Because God can be trusted!
Jesus goes on to say, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). When we worry, we are not seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. Rather, we are trapped in the momentary circumstance and it is telling us that God is not big enough to handle whatever it is we are going through. So, how do we keep worry from watering down our witness? We need to remember and respond to these words from the apostle Peter:
“Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
So, the next time worry begins to grip you remember to cast whatever it is on Jesus because He cares for you and can handle whatever it is you are going through. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “God is so good and gracious that we can trust His heart even when we cannot trace His hand.” Let that truth set you free from worry.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 