Worry and the Faithfullness of God

Gordon MacDonald writes: “No man ever collapsed because of the burdens of the day; it is when the burdens of tomorrow are added to the cares of today that a man begins to sink.” Certainly this is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry does not produce positive results. In fact, worry may damage your health; cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts; disrupt your productivity; negatively affect the way you treat others; and, reduce your ability to trust in God. There is the difference between worry and genuine concern—worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. Today let me make a few suggestions as you begin your week.

1. First, instead of worrying about what we cannot do, we need to focus on what God can do. To “give him first place in your life” means to turn to God first for help, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if you don’t actively choose to give him first place in every area of your life.

2. Second, we need to keep things in proper perspective. 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. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worrying, in contrast, is being consumed by fear and finding it difficult to trust God. It is letting our plans interfere with our relationship with God. Don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers” (Philippians 4:6). Your heavenly Father will NEVER let you down!