Jesus’ Words on Worry
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a few Bible verses we all need to hear.
Yep, we do. In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus says, “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you’ll 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. 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 your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. So do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 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.”
Don’t you agree? I mean, we’d all do well to even memorize those verses. Now here’s the challenge: Go back over these words from Jesus I just shared and count how many times the Lord uses the word “worry.” You’ll discover in the span of this short passage that Jesus repeats “do not worry” six times. That’s six! Talk about driving home a point! But Jesus was wise in repeating His warning so many times. Because He knows the devastating effects of worrying and how it can corrode like acid your confidence in God. Worry robs you of joy; it steals your hope. So, what is worrying you today? Is it a deadline, a diet, a car payment, a gloomy medical report? Well, just repeat this reading from Matthew Chapter 6, verses 25-34 and personalize it by putting your name after each time the Lord commands (and please notice, it’s not a suggestion). He commands: “Do not worry.” When you do that, it can be pretty convicting.
You know, James Lowell once wrote, “Leave tomorrow’s trouble to tomorrow’s strength; tomorrow’s work to tomorrow’s time; tomorrow’s trial to tomorrow’s grace and to tomorrow’s God.” So what’s the antidote to worry? Well, I’m sure you know Philippians Chapter 4, verse 6 by heart, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” That powerful verse will assuage any worry. But what makes this verse so special, so potent? It’s Philippians Chapter 4, verse 5, right before where it says, “… the Lord is near.”
So you’ve got to say it often. Remind your soul of its truth. The Lord is near! It’s what provides the foundation for Philippians Chapter 4, verse 6. So you could read it this way: “The Lord is near, so do not be anxious about anything. The Lord is near, so in everything, feel comfortable about presenting your requests to Him.” Friend, you can go through anything. You can sit slump-shouldered next to a hospital bedside of a loved one facing a most fearsome future, and do so without worrying, if you’re convinced the Lord is near. That He’s standing next to you. And the truth is He is. Philippians Chapter 4, verse 5 tells you so. Oh, by the way, don’t forget to pick up your gift today, my booklet “Breaking the Bonds of Fear,” which includes worry. It’s yours for the asking at joniandfriends.org/radio. Finally, remember this quote: “Your ship is equal to the load of today, but when you’re carrying yesterday’s worry or tomorrow’s anxiety, lighten up or you will sink.” Let me hear from you today on my Facebook page or you can always post a comment on my blog at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
