Jesus Teaches About Worry

Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble."

Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) disrupt your productivity, (3) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (4) reduce your ability to trust in God. How many ill effects of worry are you experiencing? The difference between worry and genuine concern - worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action.

Do not worry, be over-anxious, fretful -- 8 reasons why we should not worry:

1. Life is more than meat (v25),

2. Body more than raiment (v25),

3. Men greater than materials (v25),

4. Men greater than fowls whom God feeds without their labour (v26),

5. Worry cannot change a body (27),

6. Men better than plants that do not worry about clothing (v 28-30),

7. God's providence is over all creation, not only birds and plants that never buy, sell, manufacture, or labour (v26-32),

8. Worry is useless and sinful and must not be tolerated.

Quit worrying because it is sinful and produces fear ; A disease causing other ills ; Borrowing trouble that cannot be paid back ; Brooding over what may not happen ; Creating trouble, misery, death ; A burden borrowed from tomorrow and others who should carry it ; Weight that kills prematurely ; Mental and physical suicide ; A grave-digger that has no sympathy ; Needless and wastes time and effort that should be spent on worth-while things ; A robber of faith, peace, and trust in a never-failing, heavenly Father ; A stumbling-block to others ; A disgrace to God and should never be indulged in by Believers ; Anxiety over what is nothing today and less tomorrow, in view of faith ; Anticipating troubles which seldom come to those who trust God ; Torment over something that will likely be a blessing if it comes ; Living like an orphan without an heavenly Father ; A crime against God, man, nature, and better judgment ; Mental cruelty to self and others ; Foolish, for whatever is going to happen cannot be stopped by worry; and if it doesn't happen, there is nothing to worry about. Should adversities actually come, one may still be victorious by trusting in God.

Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God's guidance. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God.