A New Devotion - Stop Worrying - Easier Said than Done

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. 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 can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry 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 clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.”

Stop Worrying - Easier Said than Done

Although I think, if asked, every Christian would want to worry less, that’s easier said than done. Let’s face it, we’re surrounded by reasons to worry, and this has been made only worse as we navigate through a pandemic. What with rocketing unemployment and diminishing savings, for some, worry has become a fact of life. And frankly, when our friends and neighbors tell us to have more faith, well, that really doesn’t help us worry less. As a matter of fact, it just adds a little guilt into the mix. And so now, along with all the other stuff, we can worry about not trusting God enough, because if we did, we’d be calm and tranquil all the time. I’ll tell you, hearing about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field really don’t offer a lot of real help.

At least they don’t until we look a little beneath the surface. You see, the point of these illustrations isn’t that birds have it easy or that lilies live stress-free lives. No, the point is that God is aware and cares for both animals that still have to find food and flowers that are often throw into a oven. And if he cares for them, imagine how much he cares for us, his children. And so, even if we’re stressed out about facing the boss or paying the rent, God is still with us, and he still loves us. Therefore, whether or not we worry is actually up to us. Although it doesn’t serve any useful purpose, it can’t separate us for God’s mercy and grace and it won’t alter our ultimate destinies.