The Beatitudes Part 5 - Do Not Worry
What is worry but faith in the wrong direction? Our minds have a propensity to think of negative possibilities in our daily lives. Not only that, sometimes we rehearse them and fully expect them to happen. Jesus gives us the truth about how we can lean on God and trust Him for provision and timing.
When we pray to God that He will supply our daily needs, we can trust Him to show up just in time, sometimes in the 11th hour. Worry often happens when we are looking for tomorrow's provision today; when we wonder and worry about provision further into the future.
Jesus's lesson is for us to seek God and His righteousness, and He will provide. Live in today and trust Him for tomorrow.
Matthew 6:25-34 NIV
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?
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.
When Jesus tells us that each day has enough trouble of its own, it is an indication that trusting Him in this world is an ongoing opportunity. Remember, in John 16:33, Jesus says,
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Q: What things do you worry about that you can hand to God right now?
Q: What areas do you need God's grace to help you and train you not to worry?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You that You do and will take care of us and our needs. We ask You to provide and we ask You to train us to lean on You and to trust You in all things. Holy Spirit, we need your help. Grow us every day. Teach us how to think and speak in a way that agrees with You and your Word. Thank You for the freedom in advance. Amen.
When we pray to God that He will supply our daily needs, we can trust Him to show up just in time, sometimes in the 11th hour. Worry often happens when we are looking for tomorrow's provision today; when we wonder and worry about provision further into the future.
Jesus's lesson is for us to seek God and His righteousness, and He will provide. Live in today and trust Him for tomorrow.
Matthew 6:25-34 NIV
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?
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.
When Jesus tells us that each day has enough trouble of its own, it is an indication that trusting Him in this world is an ongoing opportunity. Remember, in John 16:33, Jesus says,
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Q: What things do you worry about that you can hand to God right now?
Q: What areas do you need God's grace to help you and train you not to worry?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You that You do and will take care of us and our needs. We ask You to provide and we ask You to train us to lean on You and to trust You in all things. Holy Spirit, we need your help. Grow us every day. Teach us how to think and speak in a way that agrees with You and your Word. Thank You for the freedom in advance. Amen.