Yesterday I posted Jesus’ words from Matthew chapter 6. It is one of his classic teachings on worry and anxiety. Today I wanted to follow that up by looking at the practical steps to fighting anxiety that this teaching gives us.
25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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?
First, notice how simple this is, and how shocking. Jesus simply commands his followers: “Do not worry.” Evidently he thinks this is a command which can be obeyed. Evidently he thinks it is crucial for it to be obeyed. And that means that, like all of God’s commands, the Holy Spirit gives the power to obey it to anyone who wants that power. Now, notice the practical steps Jesus tells us we can take to overcome anxiety:
1. Understand what life is not about.
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Here’s an important observation about this passage , from a great reference book: “[This teaching] is directed against the error that denies God’s care and love by supposing that we can secure our own future by temporarily securing what we need for our daily lives.” That’s pretty profound, right? Isn’t this exactly how most people try to secure their future—by getting what they need for daily living? But Jesus says that’s not the way forward, if we want to battle anxiety. The way forward begins with internalizing, to a deep level these words about what Jesus really calls “life.”
2. Remember you have a Father, in heaven, who’s near, who cares.
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or`What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
The follower of Christ inhabits the same world as everyone else, but we are aware of one essential element of the world that those who don’t know God don’t know about—we understand that we live in a universe inhabited by God. And this God is our Father. And we don’t just understand it. We live off it. We talk with him. His word comes to us. He is with us. He exists, and he relates to us personally—and that changes everything. And Jesus knows that we need to remind ourselves of that. So He reminded us of it too.
If you find yourself with extra time off, or extra time alone, please, cultivate nearness to him. Sit with an open bible, read it, and tell the Lord that you know He is with you.
3. Actively pursue the eternal things which make up God’s kingdom.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
So here is something goes beyond trying to avoid worrying or get rid of anxiety. This is something positive to do. Jesus taught that the way to transcend anxiety was to be busy doing good things that are connected to the new, eternal government that’s coming soon to take everything over. Maybe there’s someone out there to take care of. Maybe there’s someone who needs to be told of the kingdom of God. Maybe there’s someone in your house who needs you. Or maybe there’s your own soul, and the Spirit of God with you, and the need to pray for your friends and your country and your own issues.
4. Do faithfully what needs to be done today.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Christ gives us the permission to live by the day. In fact, he commands it. We pray for daily bread (6:11); we do what is in front of us; we take care of the things that need taken care of (including providing for tomorrow’s breakfast, maybe).
So there it is, Jesus’ recipe for a life free from anxiety. We let the word of God tell us what life really is. We keep our Father in mind. We proactively do the things he calls us to. We take care of today’s work, and leave tomorrow to worry about itself.
Here’s the thing: you may already have known all this. But the power and closeness of God are found in simply trusting these words, and getting up and doing it. So let’s go for it.