As Christians, we’re not supposed to, but let’s face it, worrying is easy. Many of us worry about almost everything. For some, worrying is about the basics of life—where the next meal will come from, where the money will come from to buy the kids clothes, or how to find the money to pay taxes or pay the car insurance bill. For others the worries are about what comes next, what may or may not happen, whether a business deal will come through or not. There can be as many worries as many as there are concerns in everyday life.
As I said, we are not supposed to worry. Here is some of what Jesus said about worrying in Matthew 6. "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, NIV)
While worry is hard to resist, it’s important – very important – to resist it and to eliminate it from our thoughts. I have recently had some setbacks, and worry stands at the door every day tempting me to buy into the idea that by worrying, I can somehow change the situation. But worrying carries a heavy penalty.
During my recent setbacks, the Lord revealed to me that, “When you worry, you cannot see.” Worrying means that you cannot see the current problem well. It means that you can’t see where the Lord wants you to go next. It means you walk around blind. You cannot see what is in front of you or what is down the road for you.
To see clearly, we have to let go of the worry. There is freedom and liberation in not worrying so that you can see the possibilities and break out of your “have-to’s” and move to the Lord’s next step for your life.
The Lord knows what you need before you know you need it. Keep your eyes on Him and your mind free of worry so that you can see.
