You probably remember the “What Would Jesus Do?” trend from the late ’90s. It seemed everywhere you looked, plastered across T-shirts, hats, jewelry, and all kinds of other merchandise, the WWJD slogan was a blithe, shallow reminder to live up to Christ’s moral code.
But Christianity is not about mere morality. It’s about the atoning work of Christ on our behalf. With that in mind, we can ask much better and more sanctifying questions, like “WhatdidJesus do?” and “What did Hesay?” Our ability to avoid and defeat sin comes not from imagining Christ in our circ*mstances but from obeying His clear commands and following the example of His life in Scripture. Knowing what Jesus said about sin is key to overcoming it.
We’ve been discussing our natural bent toward anxiety, and what God’s Word says about how we must control and conquer our worry. InMatthew 6:25Jesus commanded His followers, “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?”
The tense of the Greek text is properly translated, “Stop worrying.” The tense inMatthew 6:31is different, however, and means, “Don’t start worrying.” Thus Jesus brackets our passage with this meaning: If you are worrying,quit; if you haven’t started,don’t.
The Greek word for “life” ispsuchē. It has to do with the fullness of earthly, physical, external life. Don’t be anxious about this temporal world—and the food, clothing, and shelter associated with it. Jesus said previously, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Focusing on earthly treasures produces earthly affections. It blinds our spiritual vision and draws us away from serving God. That’s why God promises to provide what we need.
As children of God, we have a single goal—treasure in heaven; a single vision—God’s purposes; and a single Master—God, not money (Matthew 6:19-24). Therefore, we must not let ourselves become preoccupied with the mundane things of this world—“what [we] shall eat, or what [we] shall drink” (Matthew 6:25).
Perhaps in our modern society, such a warning seems a bit obscure. After all, there’s a market of some sort on practically every corner. And we’ve got so much water in our homes, we don’t often think about running out.
It usually takes some kind of disaster—like the massive storm that hit the eastern United States recently—to shake loose the cobwebs of sustained comfort and remind us that our basic necessities are often abundant, but never guaranteed. And even then, such disasters usually amount to only a temporary interruption of our normal routine.
Life in the world of the New Testament was not so simple. There were times when the snows didn’t come to the mountains and, as a result, the streams didn’t run. Sometimes a plague of locusts would devour the crops, bringing about famine in the land. When there was famine, there was also no income. And when there was no income, no one could purchase food, clothing, or other necessities.
Jesus’ saying not to worry about such things is especially powerful in the context of His day. Certainly that is an indictment of our own worry about life’s basics. Jesus then asks rhetorically, “Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). Of course it is, but you wouldn’t know it judging by what’s advertised today and what people seem to feel they need to be pursuing.
So many people in our society are totally consumed with the body—they decorate it, build it up, extravagantly clothe it, put it in a nice car, send it off to a nice house, stuff it full of food, sit it in a comfortable chair, hang a bunch of jewelry all over it, take it out on a boat, let it swim, teach it to ski, take it on a cruise, and so on. But life is not contained in those things; it transcends all the externals. Life comes from God—and the fullness of life from Jesus Christ.
In the days ahead we’re going to look at several compelling and convicting reasons Jesus gives for not worrying.
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FAQs
ESV "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. NIV Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
What does Jesus say about worry? ›
In Matthew 6:25 Jesus commanded His followers, “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?”
What does the Bible say about enough worries for today? ›
Matthew 6:34 is “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” It is the thirty-fourth, and final, verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount.
What did Jesus mean when he said "sufficient for the day is its own trouble"? ›
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." It implies that we should not worry about the future, since each day contains an ample burden of evils and suffering.
What did Jesus say about fear and anxiety? ›
“Jesus told him, 'Don't be afraid; just believe. ' “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.”
What is a good Bible verse for worrying? ›
Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Why God says we shouldn't worry? ›
He doesn't want you to focus on things that are outside of your control. God wants you to trust him instead of ruminating on worrisome things all day long. God wants you to stop worrying so you can have victory in Jesus. Satan would love nothing more than to keep you in a state of anxiety, doubt, and fear.
How to stop worrying according to the Bible? ›
One of the best ways to stop worrying is to pray. The Bible admonishes us against worrying in Philippians 4 verse 6. We are to instead, pray with thanksgiving, believing. Healthwise, worrying does nothing, and doing it continuously would only bring about some psychological and physical symptoms.
Does God want us to be worried? ›
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “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 surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
How do I surrender my worries to God? ›
In Philippians 4:6-7, we are commanded, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Worry is the opposite of faith, suggesting that God cannot be trusted to take care of you or to provide what you need (Php 4:19). Worry causes fear to crowd out faith. Thus, in the final reckoning, “the cowardly” are listed alongside the “unbelieving” (Rev 21:8).
Why should we not worry? ›
And all that useless worry is detrimental to our overall mental and physical well-being. It can misinform decision-making, raise stress levels, keep us up at night and erode our happiness. For some, anxiety and worry are so toxic and burdensome that medication and/or therapy is needed to fully function.
Why is worrying a sin? ›
Basic worrying and anxiety are not sins, there does come a time when they can become a sin — when we choose to listen to the voice of worry rather than the voice of God. The Bible is very clear that we are to put Him first in our lives. Most of us have been there: a problem is on the horizon, and we begin to worry.
How to stop overthinking biblically? ›
When overwhelmed with thoughts, focus on verses like Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Practice Mindfulness with God: Being present in the moment can help you stop overthinking.
What does Jesus say about anxiety and depression? ›
Matthew 6:25-27 (NKJV)
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
What did Jesus do to calm the fear? ›
The doors were locked, because they were afraid of the men who had killed Jesus because they thought they would be killed too for being Jesus' followers. Then suddenly Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you!”. After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
What are the three things Jesus says we should not be anxious about? ›
Jesus gave three specific categories of things that the Christian should not worry about: what we eat and drink, our bodies, and our clothing.
How do Christians deal with worry? ›
Lay Your Burdens Down. As a Christian, don't fight or wrestle with your fears, hand them over to Jesus, moment by moment. Take time to read through Romans 5:1-6 and 1 Peter 1:1-7. Take the opportunity to challenge yourself to grow deeper in your faith.
Is being worried a sin? ›
Anxiety is not inherently sinful. In the same way that there's a doubt that leads to faith and a doubt that leads to faithlessness, there's anxiety that leads to faith and anxiety that leads to faithlessness.
How does the Bible define worry? ›
The Dictionary of Bible Themes defines Worry as, “A sense of uneasiness and anxiety about the future. Scripture indicates that such anxiety is ultimately grounded in a lack of trust in God and his purposes.”
