Why We Shouldn't Worry

Matthew 6: 25-34 (NIV): 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? 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 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.

I once heard a speaker say, “We belong to God and God takes care of his stuff.” That statement has given me much comfort through the years. I belong to God and he takes care of his belongings. Jesus is saying the same basic thing in this passage. He points out that God takes care of the wild birds even though they don't work for it – and he beautifully clothes the flowers even though they do nothing to earn it.

If God takes care of his creation, Jesus says, won't he take care of his own children? Aren't we more precious to him than birds and flowers? Did God send his son to die for anything in creation other than us? So don't worry. Instead depend on God.

This doesn't mean we do not have to work to provide for ourselves. Paul, in fact, says if a man won't work, don't let him eat. What Jesus means is that we should not count on our own resourcefulness to provide for ourselves, but on God's grace. Pagans “run after” material things and food and water; God's children count on him to provide for their needs.

When we count on ourselves, we become full of worry. When we count on God, the worry subsides. When we worry, we tell God we do not trust him, but that we think we are smarter or stronger or better than him. And worrying only hurts us, it never helps anything. Instead of worrying about getting enough of what we need, let's concentrate on getting to know God. Focus on him each and every day and let him worry about your needs.