Do. Not. Worry.

On a scale of 1-to-Insane, how worried you right now? If not now, how has worry eaten away at your core in the past? Worry affects everyone, whether you are a follower of Jesus or not. And just because you declare Jesus as your King does not mean that you are immune to the effects of worry.

Jesus directly addresses worry in Matthew 6:25-34. He tells us simply not to worry about your day-to-day needs. If you do, it might cause you to look past God, the only One who can provide all your needs. God is not just a provider, He is THE provider. As Author and Creator - indeed King - of the universe, it is all His and He is the originator of it all.

Those who reject God altogether are a god unto themselves and they seek to make their own path, all the while fretting themselves to death in the process. God knows what you need. He knows everything! He always has and always will. Do you want proof of this? Think about about the birds. Do they have to work for their food as if it were a 9-to-5 job, or does God provide it for them? Or what about beautiful flowers? How many long hours do they need to toil at work to adorn themselves in such splendid fashion? Both questions have obvious answers. And you must not worry about such things, because you are far more valuable than a bird or a flower because you are made in the very image of God.

When has worry ever worked to your benefit? Think hard before you answer. Many of you recall the feelings of anxiety that accompanied procrastination which in the end yielded beneficial results for a project or a task. But what did you give up in the process? Peace of mind, sleep, health, perhaps even relationships that were sacrificed because of your incessant response to stress. Worry and stress are not the same, but they are roommates and the best of friends.

The solution to worry is given to us by Jesus Himself in Matthew 6:33, a beautiful and powerful verse of truth: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” We combat worry with trust. When we live as citizens in God’s kingdom, we acknowledge with our lives that our King is good and will provide for our needs. Should we still work? Yes! If we do not, we do nothing more than treat our King as if He exists to serve us, not the other way around.

Worry is the enemy of the Kingdom of God. It takes focus away from the one true King and puts it squarely on our shoulders, from which we face the cruel reality that we are helpless to provide for and fully meet our own needs. Worry spills over and compounds, never satisfying that which we need the most. Only God can fulfill our needs.