Do Not Worry

25 “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? 26 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? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Teaching of Jesus from the Bible, Matthew 6:  25-28 NIV, accessed through Biblegateway.com

This should be so easy, but it is so difficult, isn’t it?  From an early age we are taught we must provide for ourselves.  And society tells us we are a “failure” if we do not provide not only the basic needs, but are also not wealthy in the eyes of the world. 

How often do we say “I need that” when we really don’t?  Wanting something because of what it represents in terms of power or prestige is not the same as needing it.  When you look at our country, the United States, how much suffering do we create in other parts of the world by our greed?

Trusting that “God will provide” is not easy.  This is something I know about. I have worried and fretted over not having enough and wondering how we would just survive.  I have tried and tried to find ways to bring in more money, but those attempts only made matters worse.  But I have also seen provision in the form of needs being met in the most unlikely of ways. When I lost enough weight that my clothes no longer fit I worried about being able to afford new clothes.  Then friends started showing up with bags full of clothes.  Let me tell you, God does have a sense of humor.

We have been notified by a state we haven’t lived in for 20 years about “lost money” the Treasurer’s office had been holding for us.  When the grocery budget has been tight sales and discounts have been plentiful. A doctor waved his fee with no mention being made of financial hardship.  I’m sure you have stories like these. These are all ways God provides, but how many times do we overlook them?

Worry is hard on the body and the mind.  It makes us sick. So, isn’t it time to heed the words of Jesus, “do not worry about your life?”

Dig a Little Deeper: 

How has God provided for you?