In the sermon on the mount, Jesus taught us not to worry.  Matthew 6:25-34  “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? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

There are many things in this world that you and I can worry about.  You can worry about your health, especially if you are not well, diagnosed with a disease or had an accident.  You can worry about being able to pay for things that you need, whether that be food or clothes or medical care or lodging or transportation or bills that you owe.  You can worry about your government, events occurring in your country or in the world, or evil individuals that might harm you.  You can worry about coming storms or earthquakes or other natural disasters.  You can worry about the church or the salvation of loved ones.  You can worry about your family members or friends or associates.  You can worry about your mental or physical capabilities or getting old.  The list can go on and on.  What worries you?  When you worry, you imagine the bad that can happen and you dwell on the terrible consequences that can result.  Or perhaps you go over in your mind all of the things you could say or do and you worry that you will make the right decision.  Does this sound like you?  But what does the Bible say?  Philippians 4:6a “Be anxious for nothing.”  In other words, don’t be anxious; don’t worry.

Let us look at some of the principles that Jesus taught. First, Jesus taught that your life is more important than things. What is really important in life?  The most important things in life are your salvation and eternal life.  God has given those to you and nothing can take them away.  Can anything separate us from the love of God? Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Yes, you will have troubles; you may not have what you desire in life.  But nothing can separate you from the love of God or take away the gift of eternal life. 

Next, Jesus taught that you are valuable to God. The Lord is your helper. It is a matter of faith. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?’” Do you trust that He will never leave you nor forsake you?  If you have eternal life awaiting you, nothing in this life can steal that away from you.  1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”  Have you cast all of your cares upon Him?  Do you truly believe that He cares for you?  Jesus told His disciples in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  The best way to have peace in your heart and not be anxious is to trust in God.

Jesus asked in Matthew 6:27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” You cannot make yourself taller by worrying. You cannot add time to your life by worrying.  Worrying does not change the facts about something. The implication is that since worrying doesn’t change the facts, then why worry? That doesn’t mean that you can’t plan; planning is good.  You also need to make the best choices.  Pray for wisdom to make the right decisions. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  Worrying will not change what is; instead, pray for wisdom.

Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” When you worry, your thoughts are on your problems; they are not on God and His kingdom or His righteousness.  Jesus teaches that when you put the priority and emphasis in your life upon God and doing what pleases Him, He will provide for you and give you what you need.

Jesus taught in Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  Worries are often about what will happen in the future. You can’t really change tomorrow. Put your thoughts and energies on what you can do now.  When tomorrow comes you can do the same thing and deal with what you can do at that time.  God will lead you.  Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” By being a lamp to your feet, His word can guide you for the next step to take.  He doesn’t show you the future but instead He guides you in what to do next.  So don’t worry about tomorrow.

You will have troubles and problems in your life. But if you first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, God will be with you.  He cares for you. Cast your cares upon the Him and don’t worry.