Another Word for the Anxious
Matthew 6:25-34
Anxiety is deadly in the Christian life. When you’re anxious about finances, it can lead to coveting, greed, hoarding, or stealing. Anxiety about succeeding in life can make you irritable or unthoughtful. Anxiety about relationships can make you uncaring or irresponsible. Anxiety about what someone might think of you might lead you to lie, exaggerate, or cover-up the truth.
God knows the human heart. He knows us. You may think you know who you are. Others may think they know who you are. But God actually does know who you are. He really does. Take comfort in that—God knows you. He knows what you’re anxious about. He knows what keeps you up at night. He knows what you’re worried about.
His Word to you is not, “Well, that’s life. Get used to it.” Or, “bummer.” His Word to you in Matthew 6:25-34 is “Do not be anxious about your life.” He doesn’t just leave it at that. I see at least 6 reasons why we need not be anxious, as found in this text. We looked at three in the last devotion. In this devotion, we will look at the final three:
4. Unbelievers devote themselves to worrying (6:32a)
“For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.“
Of course, when you see the word Gentile, we know Jesus is referring to an unbeliever. And Jesus is basically saying, you shouldn’t be anxious about the things of this life, lest you be just like the unbelieving world that does the same thing! This is a profound reason, because it exposes what really makes you happy. When the provisions of life consume your mind and you worry about how you’ll keep them, it reveals where your trust really is.
Ask yourself, when it comes down to it, deep down, who do you really trust? I mean really, do you see that all things you have come from God or does that idea really function in your life as a nice spiritual bow that you occasionally tie around the treasures you’ve hoarded? Anxiety may be an indicator of just how worldly your heart might be. Strong but loving words from Jesus. I pray we hear them, receive them, and respond accordingly.
5. God knows your needs (6:32b)
“For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.“
This is one of those elementary truths you’ve surely heard since preschool if you had the blessing of growing up in a believing home. God knows what you need.
Anxiety proves we don’t always believe that. This is hardly profound, so I don’t want to dwell on it, but just remember there’s a reason the Bible describes God as a loving Father. If you believe the Word to be true, than you know that your current circumstances, your current health problems tempting you to worry are known by your loving Father.
God knows exactly what you’re going through right now—His call to you tonight is to trust His precious promise in Romans 8:28 that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him. Trust Him.
6. God Will Be God Tomorrow (6:34).
“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
I think this verse is a friendly reminder to each of us that God is God, and we are not. God is God today, and He will be tomorrow. The God who provided for Israel 3,300 years ago in the wilderness is the God providing for you today.
Don’t worry about what tomorrow holds—your plate is probably full today. His promise to you is that you will not be tested beyond what you can bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Commit that to heart. Bank on that promise. His promise to you is that His mercies are new every morning. Commit that to heart. Bank on that promise.
Are you anxious today? If so, may I offer you a simple illustration—one not original to myself.
Suppose you are in a car race and your enemy, who doesn’t want you to finish, throws mud on your windshield. You start to swerve, and you lose sight of the finish line. What do you do? Does it mean you should quit? Does it mean you’re on the wrong racetrack? Of course not, otherwise, why would the enemy bother you at all? What it means is, you should turn on those windshield wipers.
Those wipers—they are the promises of God that clear away the mud of unbelief. If anxiety has blurred your vision of God and His provision in your life, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are faithless or an unbeliever—it might mean you’re simply being attacked.
The Bible doesn’t assume that a true believer will never battle anxiety. Rather—it simply tells us to fight it. If you find yourself swerving due to the mud of anxiety, blurring your vision of God—His call to you is to turn those windshield wipers on.
Battle anxiety with the promises of God found in His Word.
If you’re anxious about your helplessness in a situation, battle anxiety with this promise: “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
If you’re anxious about illness, remember this: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Ps. 34:19) However, don’t forget: “suffering produces endurance, endurance character, character hope, and hope does not put to shame.” Romans 5:3-5
If you’re anxious about dying, remember: “if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:17-18
Do not be anxious about your life. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
