Trusting In a Good God
“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.”
(Matthew 6:25-34)
Worry, fret, anxiety, tumultuous thoughts, a troubled spirit, or a disquieted heart and mind–none are proper for a child of the King. Simply put, Christians are not to worry!
-Ann Voskamp
When we worry, it demonstrates to the world our lack of faith, our loss of joy, and our inability to appreciate what the hand of God has provided. We worry when we are overly concerned about getting what we think we want. Sometimes our “wanting” may simply need to be fixed! What each and one of us really desires, whether we know it or not, is to be smack dab in the center of God’s perfect and pleasing will!
Anxiety takes our eyes off the Provider, Jesus, and places them on our weaknesses and inabilities. God takes pleasure in those who hope in His goodness and mercy! Worry is quite pointless, unless of course we enjoy ulcers and high blood pressure. Jesus is earnest in warning us against worry because it is so distracting, distrustful, and a waste of our energies. Jesus desired for His followers not to be torn apart in their minds and spirits. Paul echoes our Lord’s teaching in Philippians:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
It is God’s delight for our souls to dwell at ease in Him. He gives His children exactly what they need! God is faithful and loving, satisfying our desires with good things. When we fret over our circumstances we question God’s goodness and faithfulness. Indeed, the Psalmist proclaims:
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Psalm 145:16)
Jesus did not say the person who takes no thought of anything for his life will be blessed. One that merely sits at home and does not work with his mouth open to be fed is nothing but a fool. Paul tells us in Colossians:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
What Jesus did teach His disciples is that our relationship with God is to be the dominating focus of our lives. We are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We are to be cautiously carefree regarding everything else in comparison to that. It is a matter of priorities.
Take It to Heart
“Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first.” (Oswald Chambers)
“There is unwavering peace today when an uncertain tomorrow is trusted to an unchanging God.” (Ann Voskamp)