Worry Free Living
by Willie Harris
twitter: @willieharris
blog: http://pastorharrisblog.blogspot.com/
Matthew 6:25-34: Worry-Free Living
As far as I know, no bird ever tried to build more nests than its neighbor. No fox ever fretted because he had only one hole in the earth in which to live and hide. No squirrel ever died in anxiety lest he should not lay aside enough nuts for two winters instead of one. And no dog ever lost sleep over the fact that he did not have enough bones buried in the ground for his declining years. So many people put the emphasis on the wrong things. It is a wonder that any of us still have any hair left with so many things to do. Housework, homework, away-from-home-work, schoolwork and church work all demand our attention. We have to bring home the bacon, put it on the table, get the kids to the ballgame, get everything done around the house, spend time together as a family and find time for the Lord all on the same day.
Because our priorities are often mixed up, we are too focused on money, possession, material things, and earthly matters that we begin to constantly worry about these things. But Jesus tells us to not worry about your life. Worry means to be anxious about something. It means to be afflicted with mental distress or agitation. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts, (3) disrupt your productivity, (4) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (5) reduce your ability to trust in God.
Look about you. God feeds the birds. They do no sowing or reaping. They never harvest and store up food. Yet God provides for them. God clothes the flowers. They’re not making petals. God makes them beautiful every year. They are clothed better than Solomon. So if you look about you and see that God is providing for the birds and flowers then you should understand that you are much more important than birds or flowers. You are the object of God’s love and attention. He loved you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. God didn’t do that for any bird or flower. You are God’s workmanship (His masterpiece). You are made in His image. No other creature on this earth is made in God’s image except mankind.
Jesus gives you a promise…that if you seek God first (His kingdom, His righteousness), then all else will be added to you. Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. Live one day at a time. Worry doesn’t provide strength for tomorrow. Worry just drains strength from today. Worrying about tomorrow can rob you of joy today. Tomorrow can be tough. But can you feel safe today? Never forget: God will be alive tomorrow too!!! Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted.
The Bible has a plan for worry-free living. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray. God’s peace can replace worry. God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. Stop worrying and trust God to demonstrate His love towards you.
Related posts:
- Guest Daily Devotion: Calvin Wulf
- Guest Daily Devotion: David Meysembourg
- Guest Daily Devotion: Deb Burton
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 23
- How to read your Bible for daily devotions: Day Three
Tags: matthew 6:25-34, willie harris
