Worry Ends Where Faith Begins

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB)

I think we would all agree that worry is commonplace, for the believer and unbeliever alike. Certainly in this believer's life it is.  I suspect the amount of money spent in this country on things like prescription drugs associated with anxieties is a good indication of this. To say nothing of the money spent on recreational drugs and alcohol beyond the occasional glass of wine. And with alcohol, I refer here to its abuse in excess, which is in violation of Ephesians 5:18, "be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess..."

We worry, and worry is a sin. It is neither insignificant, nor inconsequential. And let's be frank here, sin can be nothing less. Sin grieves the heart of God, but that is for another day... If you are using the KJV, it is worded in verses 25, 31 and 34 as "take no thought" and in the NIV it is more clearly understood in today's language as a command, "do not worry." As we ought to do in all cases, comparing scripture with scripture, we need not travel any further than Philippians 4:6, "do not be anxious about anything..." (NIV) to find a clear command, in any version.

A couple of points to consider as you are in the midst of worry:

Worry says, "God, I just don't trust You."

Worry says, "God, I don't believe You."

Worry says, "God, I am paralyzed by what is going on around me, and my future is thus in peril."

If it’s a sin, and we are to avoid it, be grieved by its presence in us, then what are we left with? I never find that God commands me NOT to do something without also being told what I should, yea, must do in its place, for His glory and my benefit.

If indeed the scriptures are true, and I believe they are, then you and I need only follow what God has told us to do in place of worry.  That is found following the command in Philippians 4:6 not to worry, but what?  Prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. For those who are not sure what supplication means, I'll define it: (maybe as I did, you would have to look it up) To make a humble, earnest petition; beg.

Praise God for Philippians 4:6, 7!  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."