"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”
Birds, Flowers, and You
There is much we could say about worry. I'm reminded of a poem about a cow; "The worried cow would have lived till now if she had saved her breath; but she feared her hay wouldn't last all day, so she mooed herself to death."
It is easy for one person to tell another person not to worry. Indeed, people can quote passages of Scripture that say do not worry, but to the worrier, quoting a Bible verse and telling them they are a poor Christian doesn't really help them stop worrying. It just makes things worse.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6 “ Do not be anxious about anything…”, but later he talked about his concerns for the young church. He was anxious. What he is saying is; there is a place for concern, but don't let your concern become anxiety that overwhelms you.
Unhealthy worry affects us in many negative ways. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to resolve our anxieties rather than retain them. Worry caused by the need for self-preservation in dangerous situations can be healthy. Constructive worry leads one to cope better with stress in actual challenges, allowing you to be better prepared. Some anxiety helped residents of Florida move to safety before the hurricanes hit. Worrying about health issues can motivate someone to see a doctor.
The context of Jesus’ statement implies anxious concern over things you can't do much about, or things that hold greater concern than what they should. Many people make a problem much bigger than what it really is and anxiety causes it to grow out of proportion.
Jesus taught us not to store our treasures on earth but in heaven. Earthly treasures are lost, stolen, and, if accumulated, will all be left behind. We need to store up treasures in heaven and keep our attention on God. If we focus on God and eternal things, the things of this world will not have its grasp on us, and that also includes worry over material and earthly things even food and clothes.
The one who trusts God is one who will not have a problem with undo anxious concern and worry. Jesus gives us solutions to worry, He doesn't just tell us don't do it, but practical ways to remove it.
Application: When undue worry sets it, take it to the Lord in Prayer.
Prayer: Oh Lord, I do thank you for the times that I have prayed over some concern and You have in Your grace supplied the peace that surpasses all understanding.
