What the Bible Says About Worry

Worry comes so naturally to us, doesn’t it?

Earlier this week, I was going about my morning, feeling pretty positive about life, when a family member casually dropped a detail about the future that immediately tanked my outlook.

Was it a catastrophe? No. But did my mind and body respond as if it were? Absolutely! In fact, I fought with worry over it the rest of the day.

But the Holy Spirit is so kind to bring to mind exactly the truths we need to fight temptation, and Matthew 6:24-34 was an especial balm to my heart and mind as I fought with the recurring surges of worry:

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take no thought therefore for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Even at first glance, it’s easy to see that the Christian has no rational cause for worry. We need but look back to what we already know about God to have our fears assuaged. And did you notice that first verse? I originally was going to leave it out of the passage here, until I noticed that it is actually part of the same paragraph with the rest of the passage. The truth that you cannot serve God and mammon (riches), is linked to the command against worry in the following verses. 

It couldn’t be more clear: God doesn’t want us worrying.

That phrase, “take no thought” literally has the idea of not being anxious.  In fact, it shows up in the companion passage to this one in Luke as well as in a couple of other places that have a bearing on our topic:

Jesus used this word in Luke 10:41 when describing Martha as “careful” about many things. His follow up statement about the one needful thing reminds me of Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The secret to defeating worry is simply to seek God first and foremost. As we seek Him, we will know and remember more of His character, and will trust Him to provide what we need, instead of worrying if He will.

Philippians 4:6-7 looks at worry from another angle—here the word is translated “careful” again:

“Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So, instead of worrying, we are to pray, taking the things that worry us to the Lord and give thanks for what He has done and will do. The result? God’s peace keeps, or guards, our hearts and our minds. I find it significant that after this admonition to pray instead of worrying, we are given a list of things with which to fill our minds. If we don’t fill our minds with good, true things, we simply leave it empty and ready for more thoughts of worry and unbelief.

Dear Reader, how is it with you today? Is there worry in your heart and mind? It may be one worrisome thing, or many—take it all to Jesus, make your requests known unto your God, and choose to rest in His peace.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Philippians 4:8