Why Worry? Matthew 6 (Part 2)

INTRODUCTION
          People offer numerous reasons for worrying. Not one of them is justifiable or warranted. Jesus for the most part utterly annihilates our puny reasons for worry and anxiety. Let us take a more detailed look at the illegitimate reasons for worry and the legitimate reasons why anxiety should not be our daily companion according to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6.
 
ESSENTIALS
          Jesus begins his teaching about worry by immediately tackling our most deeply held convictions about the necessities of life. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear” (NLT, Mt. 6:25). Wait just a second! We must have these in order to survive! How can we not worry about the basic necessities? Well, that is exactly the purpose of this passage…to explain why Christians should not be anxious about them.
          Jesus follows the statement with a question, “Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” (NLT, Mt. 6:25). Actually, this is a great question for every generation of humankind. “Isn’t there more to life than eating and drinking and accumulating ‘things?’” Each of us must not only answer this inquiry but then, from this time forward, live by the answer.
          For those of us who answer in the affirmative and believe there is more to life than this, next Jesus asks the only reasonable follow-up question, “If so, what in life is more important?” Jesus noticed that in His day in the land of Israel, not unlike our day in the good ol’ USA, most people were spending their time and energy and passions and abilities (thus their entire lives) on just those things.
          Nevertheless, most people know there could be…must be…definitely is more to life. Or do they? Do we? If so, then please let us identify those things that are more important than the basic necessities for survival and begin to live like we actually believe it. Jesus answers the question by exploring the reasons for our anxiety regarding our needs.  
 
INSENSITIVE JESUS?
          Deep down, many of us may feel like Jesus is being a tad bit insensitive to our own present plight. “After all, we must work in order to eat and drink and pay the bills. If we do not work, we do not eat. There are too many folks out there who refuse to work and still expect a hand-out. I work hard every day just to pay the bills. No one else will do it for me.”
           What appears to be insensitivity on the part of our Lord is in fact His attempt to relieve us of the burden of the ultimate responsibility for our needs. He says as much in verse 32, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (Mt. 6:32, NLT). It’s kinda’ one of those “duh” statements! He is not blind to our basic requirements for survival.
 
REASONS 1-3
          So let us get down to the basics. What are the reasons given in this passage why we should not find ourselves in a constant state of anxiety about the necessities of life according to Matthew 6?
          First, God provides for the animals of the earth. Aren’t we far more valuable than they? “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” (Mt. 6:26, NLT) Think about it. How do the wild animals survive? They do not plant seeds in the ground and then harvest the crops, yet God provides for them. The point? We are far more valuable than any animal. Don’t we know that God will provide for us, His own children?
          Second, if God so beautifully arrays the lilies of the field, isn’t He
able to provide clothing and other essentials of life for us?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” (Mt. 6:28-30, NLT)
          God clothes the wildflowers with more splendor than anything the wise and rich King Solomon ever wore. Plus, the grass and flowers of the field bloom for only a moment in time, and then they are gone. We are not only more important than the flowers, but we will live much longer.
          Notice how once again (see sermon 1) this trust in God’s provision is directly linked to our faith. Jesus asks, “Why do you have so little faith?”  In other words, “Why can’t you trust me to provide for My own children? Do you not know that I am capable? Do you not know that I am willing? Do you not know that I expect my children to rely upon me? Do you not know that I created you to depend upon me for your needs?”
          Third, God already knows our needs. 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Mt. 6:31-32)
          What if your seven-year-old child was hysterical prior to every single meal, wondering if there was going to be anything to eat or drink? What if Junior awakened every morning, walked with bare feet into your bedroom, and said anxiously, “Mom and dad. I will need to eat breakfast this morning. Do we have anything to eat? Do we have something to drink? Do I have something to wear?” What if she called from school before lunch every day to be certain you actually put food in her lunchbox? And what if her first thought upon her return home from school was anxiety about supper that evening and shelter and water to drink?
          This is often how the scene appears to God, our Father. God knows our needs. Do we believe that? If God knows our needs, then He will naturally provide for us. He knows. He cares. He supplies. As a matter of fact, we were created to be dependent upon our Heavenly Father. The anxiety we feel is a natural response to weighty burdens we were never intended to bear!
 
 
REASONS 4-5
          Fourth, God promises to meet all of our basic needs if we will put Him and His Kingdom first. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Mt. 6:33). Now this is the unnatural aspect to the carnal minds of humankind. We mistakenly buy into the deception that we are in complete control and therefore must put “me” first…that it is our primary responsibility in life to supply the basic needs (and usually plenty extra).
          This Kingdom Principle states the opposite. If we place God and the advancing of His Kingdom first, then GOD promises to supply everything we need. There we have it. This passage never implies that we do not have to work for a living (that’s one result of the fall of mankind). But it does clearly indicate our primary job is to trust the word of God where God promises to ultimately be the One responsible for meeting our needs.
          Therefore, fifth, we are not to worry constantly about being without food and drink and shelter. Verse 32 states “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers” (NLT). “Enough” is never enough for unbelievers. They never have enough. They are never secure enough. Some crisis might fall upon them at any time. They worry day and night about their jobs and wealth and security and prosperity and their problems and health and their future. They never stop worrying nor are they ever content.
          A better translation might be “These things the unbelievers seek after.” They spend all of their strength and ability and time simply “surviving” or accumulating “stuff” while believers rest and trust in God for our supply. This frees us up to spend time seeking God and pursuing His kingdom and serving His church.
 
REASON - TOMORROW
          The sixth reason we should not worry is extremely important for alleviating our anxieties. Dr. Seth Gillihan, Ph.D  (“5 Reasons We Worry, and 5 Ways to Worry Less,” Psychology Today, Oct. 7, 2016) agrees totally with the final verse in this passage, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NLT, Mt. 6:34).  Gillihan advises us to “Live in the present.  Mindfulness emphasizes focusing our mental energy on the present, with openness and acceptance—an attitude that is helpful on many levels. Worry is by definition about the future, so training your attention on the present is a powerful way to reduce your worries.”
          Tomorrow will have its own worries. One practical and powerful way to reduce stress is to live each day to its fullest for the Lord and refuse to worry about the future. Now obviously this commitment to “today” does not necessarily void the need to plan for the future or set goals, etc. But it does mean that we should not continuously stress-out about events that may or may not transpire in the future.
          If you find your mind playing out possible future scenarios, most likely ending in the worst outcomes, then take the advice of Jesus. I like the more literal translation of this verse, “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is the trouble of it” (Matthew 6:34, DLNT). Tomorrow will worry about itself! As a matter of fact, we are not certain “tomorrow” will happen at all!
We can allow ourselves to be flooded with anxiety about so many things we cannot control. Or we can approach the day as another day of precious life granted to us. We can determine to live whole-heartedly for our God and make an eternal impact on the world around us. There is a reason our world is divided into 24 hour days. A new day starts all over again every time the sun rises. Sufficient in this day are the challenges and opportunities this day affords us.
 
CONCLUSION
          Finally, verse 27 is perhaps the key reason why we should not worry, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (NIV). This is a solid argument to counteract every reason for worry. As we have concluded, worry simply has zero benefits for any situation or problem or relationship. As a matter of fact, it is usually detrimental to our mental, emotional, and physical health. It ends up being counter-productive.
It drains our energy and emotions and physical strength. It proves that we lack enough faith in God for the outcome. It lures our minds away from constructive problem-solving. It can alter our entire personality. We become grumpy or angry or touchy or withdrawn or depressed. Fear is a companion to worry and can begin to bully us, to master us.
          As Christians, we should have but one Master. He is a compassionate, loving, just, righteous, holy, powerful, and sovereign Lord.
          Let me leave the subject by repeating verse 27, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (NIV). Then “Why worry?”