So last week (yeah, I know, this was supposed to come out on Thursday) we met outside and had ourselves a little campfire in the parking lot. It was a super relaxed evening as we tossed the ol' pigskin around and sat around the fire chatting.
I wanted to take advantage of the fire we had, so we did a little activity as a part of the message time. If you are reading this during a season where its comfortable to build a campfire (aka, Fall or Spring), I would encourage you to do so. If you happen to have an in-home fireplace, even better.
The first passage we read is where the title of this post came from, Matthew 6:25-34. This is a part of Jesus' longest recorded sermon, the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. As He is teaching, Jesus shares this with His audience: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 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."
What is it that you worry about? Some of you have college applications due, and I know all of you have tests, exams and papers coming up. Maybe you are worried about Covid-19, or some drama going on with your friends or family. Perhaps there is a habitual sin in your life that you've struggled and struggled with, but can't seem to shake. The truth is, we all have something that we tend to worry about. Sometimes it is focused on ourselves, sometimes it is other people we worry about. Whatever the case may be, Jesus is telling us to let them go. The things of this life that we worry about, the things we get anxious over - let them go.
He makes a promise here. He says that if we seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, then all the things we truly need (food and clothing, etc.) will be given to us as well. Seek God, and He will make sure you have what you need. That promise gives us a lot of hope, and it is that promise which allows us to "not worry", so long as we believe that God will fulfill His promise. So, here's where we get to the activity. Take a piece of paper and write down the thing(s) that you worry about the most. The thing(s) pressing down on your heart day after day. Maybe you have one big thing, or a lot of little things - write them all down. Once you have done that, keep reading. I'm sure you've got some idea of what comes next.
In Philippians 4:6-8, Paul says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
He says that rather than sitting in our worry and anxiety, we should cast all our worries on God. Present them to God. Turn them over to God. He wants us to give up our anxieties and fears to God. So, take that piece paper upon which you wrote down your biggest sources of worry/anxiety/fear, and pray to God. Lift them up to God. Entrust them to God. Trust that He will take care of your needs and that He has your future in His all-powerful hands. Once you have done this, cast your paper into the fire and watch it burn away. Let your worry/anxiety/fear burn away with it as you trust in God to provide for you.
Now, there is one other important aspect which both of the passages share: we are called to turn our focus away from our anxiety and toward God. "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness..." and "Whatever is true...noble...right...pure...lovely...admirable...excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Jesus wants us to focus on Him, because when we do, we get an eternal perspective about the things around us. He helps us to see the big picture of His plan for us, and to know that in the end, we will get to spend eternity with Him. That is where our peace comes from, a peace which doesn't always make sense, but that will most definitely guard our hearts and our minds from anxiety, worry, and fear.
So, anytime you find yourself struggling with anxiety, look back to these verses and look to God. He is there for you, He will provide for you, and He alone will give you peace.
God bless yall!
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