It's Not All About You | Fighting Worry, Part 2
In the last blog, “There’s No Such Thing as Spiritual Retirement | Fighting Worry, Part 1”, we looked at Jesus’ confrontation over the treasures of our hearts. Are we storing up treasures on earth or in heaven?
God’s purpose and intent for our lives is to live in a Kingdom focused manner—living for His glory and for the advancement of the Gospel.
Jesus helps us to see that earthly treasures are the foundation of worry. When I refer to treasures, I don’t mean material possessions only.
We can hold tightly to relationships, careers, abilities, entertainment, etc. When our lives are focused on anything other than Jesus, we are setting ourselves up for worry and anxiety.
Within Jesus’ sermon, recorded in Matthew 6:25-34, faith is the main brunt of the passage. It is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), and our own efforts to deal with life’s problems are futile. Matthew 6:27 tells us, “And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span” (NASB)?
Why should we worry about things we cannot control when we can trust in the One who is sovereign and omniscient? Even the most mature Christians face temptations to handle things personally, rather than taking everything to the Lord in prayer.
If we hold on to our worries and anxieties, we will not experience the peace of Christ in those situations.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (NASB).
Worry is the antithesis of faith. Now, the act of worry is not necessarily sinful, but the state of worry is.
For instance, I can worry about the salvation of a loved one or the medical procedure of a parent, spouse, child, etc. When facing these types of concerns, which come from a posture of love, we take that worry to the Lord in prayer.
Entrust Him with these issues. What do we do the next day? Take it to the Lord in prayer again.
When we take our worries to the Lord, it pleases Him. When we let our worries become synonymous with our state of being, then we are living in a sinful manner.
Again, no one is immune to worry. We can have concerns over job security, financial health, political and economic unrest, school grades, etc. These are only a few examples of worries that we face! None of these things are too small to entrust to the Lord.
Recognize that Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33), and that we are only sojourners here (John 17:14). No worry is unnoticed by God, and no worry is permanent (one day those in Christ will reign with Him free of worry).
How can we rid worry in our lives? First, entrust everything to the Lord in faith. Second, ask God to heal any areas of unbelief (Mark 9:23-24). Lastly, use the resources and necessities that God has given us: prayer, Scripture, and local church engagement.
When we live in this way, we will experience the joys and peace from living life in Christ.
Know that God is our Provider! He takes care of our physical needs. In fact, He knows what we need better than we do.
God provides for us because He loves us. He doesn’t pity or owe us anything, but He cares for us as His children, in Christ (Matthew 6:32).
He provides for us in ways that we cannot. Many of life’s situations are uncontrollable, but not for God.
Matthew 6:26 states, “Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they” (NASB)?
In conclusion, Scripture tells us to pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). God will take care of the rest.
We are called to a greater purpose than seeing our needs and wants met. Our calling is to impact the Kingdom of God by walking in faith!
What does it mean to pursue the Kingdom of God?
It means 1.) growing spiritually (2 Peter 3:18)—experiencing life with Christ as He intends; 2.) active involvement in a local church (Acts 4:32-35)—engaged in fellowship and discipleship; and 3.) evangelism (Matthew 28:19-20)—sharing the hope of Jesus with those in need.
When our lives are focused on the Kingdom of God, worrying will be an afterthought. God will replace our anxieties and fears with hope, anticipation, and immeasurable joy!
