"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat? or "What shall we drink"" or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of GOd and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Did you count how many times Jesus said anxious in this passage? What are some of the fears, anxieties, and what-ifs you struggle with? My list has things like; my kids growing up lovin' God for themselves, our debt, fear-of-man, my health, our family making good daily decisions collaboratively and individually, being alone...
When Jesus says, "Do not be anxious" it carries the force of a mandatory command, not some feel good thought for the day. When we are anxious we are focusing on...guess who....OURSELVES! We are so focused on the worry and full of sin that we are inwardly saying that God does not care for us. That He will not show up or provide for us, that He is unaware or disinterested in us. That is all a big fat lie! Since God cares for the birds, flowers, and grass, and we are his magnum opus than surely, surely He is completely engaged in our lives.
My friend Wendy is teaching our women's bible study and these are my notes from class. I have gone back to these pages multiply times this week as I struggles with my own anxieties for this week. I particularly like this formula she used:
ANXIETY + PRAYER = PEACE
Pray lest you enter into temptation the bible says. Pray without ceasing the good book reminds us. He knows us so well. How far we let our anxiety go truly measures how much faith we have in Christ. He is our truth, he is our father, and best of all he is sovereign over EVERYTHING! The enemy is clever in the way he puts these worry wompers in our view and suddenly that is all we see and all we think about. Stop believing that God doesn't care for you! These lies about worry are really the surface of our pride, our sin, and our insecurities. What is at the root of my worry over debt: discontentment that I can't have what I want when I want it! What is at the root of my fear of man: to be known and loved but it lingers in a bucket of pride. I am known and loved by the one who created me. I believe that I am of more value that the lilies of the field.
So how do we move from anxiety to peace? By taking every thought captive under the authority of Christ and pray and refocus on truth. Then we are blessed with freedom and peace.
Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever thing's are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. Phil 4:8
Get captured by His grace today!
Blessings,
E.W.
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