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“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 than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:25-27, 33-34 

I work with people who are particularly stressed. They worry about what people think of them. They worry about their abilities and talent. They worry about disappointing people they respect. And they struggle to imagine what they could have done differently.

These amazing creations of God could learn a lot from the birds in Jesus’ story. Jesus made a point about birds 2000 years ago when He said, “I’m telling you, don’t worry about everyday life. Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable to Him than them?  So why do you worry about these things?” Yet, we do. If worry were an Olympic sport, some of us might receive a gold medal.

Honestly, life does give us an unlimited number of things to worry about. But God gives us one good reason not to—Him and His promises. I don’t believe that Jesus is saying we shouldn’t be concerned about the needs of life—food on the table and clothes on our back. What He is saying is don’t worry about these things because worry does not make your life longer; it just makes it miserable. Medical doctors warn us that worry can shorten our life. Instead of worrying, redeem the time by making sacred and wise use of every opportunity God has provided for us.

This is where I believe the rubber meets the road in the Christian faith. If I say that I believe God and I trust Him in this journey He has me on, then it will be evident by the things I think and the actions I take. If I don’t want to live in anxiety and worry, I need to put my concerns in the hands of God. When I do, I grow in faith instead of worrying. I read my Bible and believe what it says. Someone once said, “the Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”  

I want to experience that—not worry. So, when my knees start knocking, I now kneel on them! I grab my Bible and trust God.

Next Steps

Fear, worry, and anxiety start with your mind. The next time you fly into a panic, or you’re worrying about something:

• Practice thinking Godly thoughts instead.
• Remind yourself what the Word of God says. “Whatsoever things are true and lovely and virtuous, think on these things.”  
• God is near. Boldly ask and quietly trust Him.