It Starts Small

Worrying is an awful thing to do. How do we worry less and trust more? In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus gives us the cure for worry and anxiety. Worry is a very serious problem we encounter. Worry in these verses gives us an ideas of division. It like being pulled apart or double minded.

In these passages, Jesus is not saying live a flippant carefree life that doesn’t consider the future. Jesus is not against planning, he’s against worry of the future.

What is the cause of our Worry?

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

Finances: you can not serve God and money. You can’t put the desire to have money before God. When money becomes the motive, money becomes the god in your life.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:25-26

Food: it is foolish to worry about what we will eat and drink. If God feeds the birds of the air, do you not think he will feed you? Are we not more important to him than birds? What farmer would feed his chickens and starve his family?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: Matthew 6:28

Fashion: We worry about what we will wear. If God can clothe lilies that fade, God can take care of you.

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6:27

Fitness: We worry about our health, our age, and adding days to our lives. You can get older by worrying about it.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:34

Future: We worry about tomorrow.

Most of what we worry about never happens. We worry over our past, but when did worry ever change the past? It’s already happen. Criticism of others we worry about is vain time spend caring about and worrying over what others think about us. The real problems we worry about must be faced. Worry is useless and has a way of capturing us. It kills the Word of God in us and refuses our Heavenly Fathers promises.

What does worry cost us?

Worry is useless and it never solves problems, lifts burdens, or dries our tears. There are two things you should NEVER worry about:

Things you can do something about.

Things you can’t do anything about.

Worry is harmful to us physically. It does to us what sand does to machinery. It’s not only harmful to us, but also the people around us. It’s extremely difficult to be around people who are neurotic and worry all the time.

Our worry is a wound to the heart of God. When we worry about what we will eat, wear, money, tomorrow, we insult God.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:30

Lack of faith is a insult to God. Ask yourself, what in your mind makes you think he won’t take care of you? God ca never be found guilty of neglect or abuse. Not only do we insult God, we tell him he is not trust worthy. We become foolish liars when our of one corner of our lips we sing how Great thou are, then refuse to trust him.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Worry says God is a liar. It says that Romans 8:28 is a lie. It grieves God’s heart when we think and believe God can not take care of us. Worry says “this” is too big for God and He can’t handle it.

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Matthew 6:32

We act like pagans when we worry. It’s the way of the world to worry.

What is the cure to worry?

We need to change our focus and thought patterns. We need to focus on the Heavenly Father Factor. God knows ALL our needs. God has an obligation to us. He’s not an abuses or a neglector.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

If God knows when every sparrow falls, is God not going to take care of you? You are more important than sparrows. Focus and train your thoughts that your Heavenly Father cares for you and will never abandon you nor neglect you.

We need to focus on the will of God.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Seek God first and ALL (food, finances, fitness, future) these things will be given to you. God will not reside I second place. We can not expect him to care for us when we don’t give him reverence or priority.

Worry is a symptom that tells you, you are focused on the wrong thing. You’re focused on the need and not God. God says trust in me enough to believe I will take care of my business and I’ll take care of yours.

Finally, we need to focus on the future factor.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:34

God sits at the master controls. God plans the events that come to us. If he doesn’t cause them, he allows them to come. God allows difficulty for everyday. The phrase, evil there of, means difficulty. Life with trouble is for our goodness. It causes us to make a choice: turn to him, or pride and selfishness. The word, sufficient, means grace for today’s problems. He doesn’t give us grace for tomorrow. He gives us grace for today.

If we take things that belong to tomorrow and bring them in to today we are simply borrowing trouble. When we barrow trouble, the interest o that low is very high. The cost of borrowed trouble is buried blessings. You won’t see the blessing of today. Worry does not take the sorrow out of tomorrow, it takes the joy out of today.

Worry steals the strength of today. God does not give us strength to worry about tomorrows problems. He gives us to eat with todays difficulties.

Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

The sky may not always be blue, but God promises strength for today.

Worry is wasted energy. It is exhausting today’s strength. It doubles our load for today and when tomorrow comes we are weak, tired and out of breath. God knows our name and how much we can bear. Worry produces fear. We can worry to life the very thing we are worried about.

We have a choice to make: operate by fear or faith?