Matthew 6:25-34

“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?  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?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—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.”

Once more we must look at what preceded this word “therefore” – Because this is part of the “Sermon on the Mount” we can go all the way back to chapter five of Matthew and make a list. First of all, Jesus is saying; (because) you are the salt of the earth; (because) you are the light of the world; (because) you are called to think differently about the Law; murder and anger; adultery, lust, and divorce; (because) your word is your bond; (because) you are called to triumph over evil with good;(because) you are to be anonymously generous; (because) you are to be a person of prayer and fasting; (because) you are storing up treasures in heaven and not on earth; and finally, (because) you cannot serve two masters; therefore, do not worry!

We all have to admit that worry is a common temptation in life, and for many it is their favorite pastime! America, which is the most affluent country in the world, is also the most worry filled society in the world. For the Christian, this is contrary to the Word of God.

If we worry constantly, what kind of faith do we manifest?  If you are a child of God and believe that God can redeem you through Jesus Christ His Son; break the shackles of sin in your life; save you from Hell and carry you to heaven, where He has prepared a place for you; adopt you into His Kingdom; and promise eternal life; how can we not believe and trust Him for the next couple of days? Pretty ridiculous, isn’t it? It shows an embarrassing lack of faith. When we worry we are choosing to be mastered by our circumstances rather than the truth of God. This is characteristic of non-believers is what Jesus says.

The poet Robert Frost wrote; “The reason why worry kills more people than work is because more people worry than work!”

Worry can paralyze you, making you too upset to accomplish anything!  It constantly tries to take you into tomorrow until you find something to worry about. Refuse to go along for the ride!  Jesus says that we have enough to deal with today.  Don’t let tomorrow’s worry steal today’s joy!

Now, let me add a couple of disclaimers here. First, don’t worry doesn’t mean don’t plan. We must plan for the future and prepare for the future, to do otherwise would be foolish. Second, don’t worry doesn’t mean don’t be concerned. We need to have a healthy degree of concern about future. However, there is a big difference. Concern is when you can do something to help a situation, so you do what you can.  Worry is when you can’t do anything, but you still don’t want to leave it up to God.  We need to let God’s track record in Scripture and in our own lives assure us that worry is needless because of God’s endless bounty and love for us; worry is senseless because of God’s multitude of promises; and it is useless because of its impotence to add even one minute to our lives or one inch to our stature!  Sooooo…

Don’t worry, be happy!