Scripture: “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
Examination of Chapter: Matthew writes the words of Jesus as He continues His famous teaching known as the “sermon on the mount”. In the last section of this chapter, Jesus is cautioning against worry. He tells His followers that no amount of worry can influence the things of the world. God is in control of everything. In verse 34, Jesus states that each day has its own issues and to worry about what will be is futile. Pay attention to the events of the day, which are troublesome enough instead of worrying about what may be in the future.
Application: Worry is what we do when we don’t get the outcome that we desire. Constant worrying is not a healthy trait to possess; it is similar to a raging wildfire. It starts with a small flame and then quickly escalates to consume everything in its path, and it’s not easy to extinguish.Worry can be ignited by many different things. For example, when my husband had cardiac issues, I worried a lot in those hours I sat in the waiting room. Did I pray? Yes, I did, but honestly, I worried more than I prayed.
I forgot that I truly didn’t need to worry about the outcome of my husband’s surgery because the reality was, and is, that God had it covered. What I needed to remember was that my God is the same God as the God of Daniel, Elijah, Esther, Ruth, Peter, and every other believer in the Bible. That list is a powerful reminder of the faithfulness of God. Intellectually, I know that God will meet my needs because He said so in His Word, but sometimes my heart overrules my head. What I forget is that my heart is deceitful as it says in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
As I pondered the bondage of worry, the proverbial light bulb went off in my head. By the way, this light bulb was turned on by the Holy Spirit as He spoke to my heart. It was as if He said, “Jayne, you don’t have to worry about this. I really have it covered. I love you. I’m going to take care of you in all things. I know when you pray to me that you want a specific thing, and sometimes I answer as you wish, but sometimes I don’t. I respond to your prayer in ways that are best for you and that are in alignment with my will, and I need you to trust me.”
Sometimes I simply forget how great and mighty our God is, and that the antidote to my worry is to trust Him. The Bible tells me to pray and cast my cares upon Jesus; it does not tell me to worry about what God’s going to do or how He’s going to do something to alleviate the situation. For example, when I pray to God about my huge medical bills, I don’t know if God will meet that financial need in a miraculous way or by showing me how to finance it. But I do know that my responsibility is to bring every single care to Him as it says in I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Sometimes, even with this understanding, the flames of worry begin to grow. It’s easy for me to justify my worries. After all, I don’t want to deplete my savings. I don’t want this expense to be a financial hardship. Worry creeps in because I want an outcome that leaves my savings intact and doesn’t cause any monetary discomfort. I find that much of my worry hinges on two words: “I want…” See the problem? I want what I want, and worry comes because I’m not getting what I want. I struggle because I don’t like God’s timing; I don’t like God’s decisions; I don’t like God’s will… wait, what? Yes, worry is “I-centered”, not “God-centered’. If I truly want God’s will for my life, I need to gear up and fight the fires of an often out-of-control worry by taking God at His word and trusting Him to meet every need I have.
The truth is worry is unnecessary because God does what is best for His children. I have to remember Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Nowhere does the Bible tell me that I have to know why God is allowing certain things to come to pass or how it will all end, but it does tell me again and again to trust God. Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding“, and Psalm 37:5 states, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
That is so freeing when I think about it! When I trust God at His Word, I realize that He has said He’ll take care of me and meet every single need in my life. I don’t have to be the one to make things happen. The responsibility isn’t on my shoulders; it’s on His. Philippians 4:19 states, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” If He said it, He has to do it because the Bible also tells me that God does not lie. He keeps His promises. Numbers 23:19 affirms, this. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
However, in spite of all that head knowledge, worrying is not an easy thing to turn off. In my flesh, I will face many challenges that will ignite the embers of worry within me. I will stoke those flames by allowing my mind wander to the “what-ifs”, and before I realize it, the worry wildfire is burning out of control. So how do I douse the flames before they consume me? I go to God and ask Him for help. My flesh is quite strong, but it’s not strong stronger than God. So I seek Him, His guidance and wisdom, and then I wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 states, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
For whatever reason, God allows me to go through various challenges and struggles in life. Some I understand; others I do not. But what I do know is that I am not called to know every reason that God has for what happens in my life; I am called to trust Him. I don’t need to obsess about what may or may not be. I need to focus on today, and let God handle my tomorrows. The truth is that God has me firmly in His hand. The same God of Esther, Ruth, Rahab, and so many more in the Bible is the same God who shelters me in His arms. The way He cared for Noah, Daniel, Naomi, Paul, and others is the same way God cares for me today. I really don’t have to worry. I don’t have to see the light at the end of the tunnel because I know Who walks with me through each of those challenging tunnels. I will reach the destination that He has mapped out for me by simply holding on to His hand. God promises to lead me, and He will never fail me.
Each time I give my worries to Jesus, which I might add is an on-going struggle, I am released from the burdensome, oppressive imprisonment that comes with stress and anxiety. I am so grateful the Holy Spirit gently and humbly puts out the fires of worry by whispering to me that He’s got it all in His control! Is it easy to surrender my worries? Nope, not at all, but that’s why we have His Word. Verses in scripture remind me over and over and over about the mighty power of God and how He takes care of what belongs to Him. Matthew 6:26 states, “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?” Jesus suffered and died on a rugged cross for me. I am so loved by Him, so valued by Him, so wanted by Him. Why would I doubt He would take care of me? How could I not trust Him to take care of me? And if Jesus is taking care of me, there really isn’t any plausible reason as to why I should worry. When the waters of God’s incredible love pour over me, the flames of worry die out, and I am at peace, trusting and resting in Him.
Memory verse: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28