Do Not Worry

Each and every day we each have our own various troubles. We may have troubles or struggles with work, school, extra curricular activities, or perhaps some problems with our friends. With our days full and troubles aplenty, sometimes we still find ourselves worrying about the future; worrying about things that have not yet happened; worrying about things that are out of our control.

There may be a project at work with a deadline that is fast approaching. Or there could be a big test coming up at school. There are numerous possibilities of things that could be coming up in the future for each of us, that we may feel the need to worry about. But why? What need is there to worry about those things that are not even certain?

The thing is, there is no need to worry about these things. What good does it do us to get stressed out about something that we cannot change or that we aren’t even sure will happen? It doesn’t benefit us at all. We would actually be worse off with the stress that would be added to our lives.

In fact, we are told not to worry about our lives in Matt. 6:25-34. We are not to worry about what we will eat or what we will drink (v. 25,31). There is no reason for us to worry about what we will wear (v. 31). In verse 34 of that passage it reads, “ ‘Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

In Matt. 6:27, Jesus poses the question: “ ‘Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Of course, the answer to this is: no one. None of us can increase our height by worrying about it. This idea applies to all worries of the future. The future is out of our control. We can’t be sure if the things that we are worried about will happen. In fact, we don’t even know if time will still be going—none of us can know (Matt. 24:35-36).

Worrying about that which is out of our hands merely adds unneeded stress to our lives. There is no reason for us to worry. We should remember that the physical troubles that we encounter are not of the utmost importance. It is our spiritual lives that we need to focus on, since we know that God will take care of our physical needs.

“ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33)

                -- John Thrower Jr.