Have you ever struggled with worry? Are you worried about something right now? I think it is safe to say that every person has dealt with worry before. It is a common struggle that can debilitate us in our lives. Thankfully Jesus gives some solutions to the problem in Matthew 6:25-34. Consider four things that the Lord says we must do to combat this problem effectively.

Check your priorities (Matthew 6:25).

  • Is Jesus saying that all worrying is wrong and sinful? No. Some things having concern over can be a sign of spiritual maturity.
  • Jesus is not saying we need to be lazy and have no concern over our financial future (Proverbs 6:6-11). He is not saying that we should not have anxiety over the spiritual welfare of weak brethren (2 Corinthians 11:28-29) or that we should not worry about our souls if we are currently living in sin (Psalm 51).
  • In Matthew 6:25, Jesus is speaking of worry that leads to us being consumed with the things of the world and becoming unfruitful in the service of God (Matthew 6:19-24; 13:22).
  • Are we doing what Jesus says in Matthew 6:33? Or, are we like those in Matthew 6:32?

Put your trust in God (Matthew 6:26-31). 

  • If God will take care of the things of nature, how much more will He take care of us? Consider the birds of the air (vs. 26). Consider the lilies of the field (vss. 28-29). Consider the grass (vs. 30).
  • Do we believe in the promises of Matthew 6:33 and Proverbs 3:5-6?

Understand that worrying won’t change anything (Matthew 6:27). 

  • Has worrying ever made your life better? All it does is eat up the limited time we have on this earth (James 4:14).
  • Instead of being consumed with worry, we need to pray to God (1 Peter 5:6-7; Philippians 6-7). We also need to trust Him and count our blessings! Doing these things will help us keep a proper perspective on life.

Take life one day at a time (Matthew 6:34). 

  • Before dealing with tomorrow, we first have to get through today!
  • We need to challenge ourselves to “stop and smell the roses.” Life is too short not to savor the good things God provides.
  • We need to understand that there is only so much we can do a day.
  • We need to use today to do the things most important (Matthew 6:33).

Conclusion:

Remember, if you are not right with God, you need to be worried about that. In fact, beyond being worried, you need to do something about that right now!