25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)
Do Not Be Anxious
There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more earnestly warns his disciples than the sin of anxious, distrustful care about the things of this life. Such worry is a sign that both the treasure and the heart are on the earth.
The Prohibition
It is the counsel and command of the Lord Jesus that we take no anxious thought about the things of this world. He says it as our Lawgiver and Comforter: Take no thought for your life, nor for your body (Matt. 6:25). Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? (Matt. 6:31). Take no thought for tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). This caution is repeated because it is a sin that so easily entangles us. Christ commands that we should not trouble our minds with worry about the world.
There is a kind of concern for life’s necessities that is not only lawful but a duty. Proverbs praises the virtuous woman for her diligence. Paul showed care for the churches, and Timothy cared for the souls of others (2 Cor. 11:28; Phil. 2:20). But the type of thought Jesus forbids is:
- A disquieting, tormenting thought that unsettles the mind, disturbs our joy in God and dampens our hope in Him.
- A distrustful, unbelieving thought that doubts God’s promise to provide for those who belong to Him. He has assured us of food and covering—not luxuries, but necessities. He never said, “They shall be feasted,” but, “Verily, they shall be fed.”
Anxious care for the future comes from a lack of trust in God’s wisdom and goodness. We must use lawful means to obtain what we need, be diligent in our work, and live within our means. If we lack, we must pray for daily bread and seek help when necessary. But for the future, we must cast our cares upon God. To worry about tomorrow shows a lack of faith in the One who knows our needs. Let our souls find rest in Him! This kind of trust is like the peaceful sleep God gives to His beloved (Ps. 127:2).
Reasons to Avoid Anxiety
Life is greater than food, and the body is more than clothing (Matt. 6:25). Food and clothing exist to sustain life, but life itself is a gift from God. If He has given us life, He will surely sustain it. When we focus on caring for our souls and eternity, which are far more important than bodily needs, we can trust God to provide for our physical necessities as well.
Creation itself teaches us to trust God’s provision (Matt. 6:26-30). The birds do not sow, reap, or store food, yet God feeds them daily. If He cares for them, how much more will He care for us, who are far more valuable? Likewise, the lilies do not toil or spin, yet they are clothed in beauty greater than Solomon’s richest garments. If God so adorns the grass, which withers quickly, how much more will He provide for us? Our lives are short, and worrying about tomorrow’s needs is futile when our future is in God’s hands.
Seek first the kingdom
Instead of being consumed by anxiety, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33). Faith in God’s provision brings peace, while worldly worry only robs us of joy. Here is a twofold argument against worrying about material needs.
First, you have greater things to focus on—your soul and eternal happiness. If we were more concerned about pleasing God and securing our salvation, we would be less anxious about wealth. Seek first the kingdom of God.” Make religion your top priority. Though we may fall short, sincere seeking is accepted. The kingdom of God and His righteousness must be our goal—heaven our aim, holiness our way.
Second, seeking God’s kingdom is the surest way to obtain the necessities of life. Some may fear that prioritizing God will lead to lack, but the opposite is true. We must prioritize our spiritual well-being above material concerns. If they ever compete, the eternal must take precedence. Seek God early—dedicate the morning of your youth to Him. Let your first thoughts each day be of God.
This is God’s promise: “All these things shall be added unto you.” Those who seek God’s kingdom will not lack necessary provisions. Just as Solomon asked for wisdom and received wealth as well (2 Chronicles 1:11-12), those who prioritize God will find their needs met. If we trust Him for our eternal inheritance, should we not trust Him for daily sustenance?
You of little faith
Jesus said, “.. you of little faith” (Matthew 6:30). This is both an encouragement to true faith and a rebuke for weak faith. Even weak faith, if genuine, entitles us to divine care and provision. While great faith receives great blessings, even the smallest faith secures food and clothing. Just as infants in a family are fed and clothed as carefully as grown children, God provides for all who trust in Him. Yet, excessive worry reveals the weakness of our faith (Matthew 14:31). If we had more faith, we would have less anxiety.
Jesus also asked, “Which of you, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). We did not determine our own height—God’s providence did. An infant grows into an adult not by personal effort but by God’s power. Likewise, worrying cannot change our situation. Just as it is foolish for a short person to exhaust himself trying to grow taller, it is pointless to be anxious about material things. Instead of craving excessive wealth, which can be burdensome, we should accept our God-ordained state in life and trust Him to provide.
The world is obsessed with material concerns—”After all these things, the Gentiles seek” (Matthew 6:32). They worry because they do not know a higher calling. Their hearts are fixed on worldly gain because they are unaware of God’s provision. But Christians, who trust in a loving and faithful Father, should not be consumed by such anxieties. To worry as the world does is to forget the very nature of God.
Do Not Worry About Tomorrow
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Worrying about the future is unnecessary. Each day brings its own troubles, but also its own provisions. God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). He gives strength daily (Isaiah 33:2) according to each day’s needs (Ezra 3:4). Leave tomorrow’s burdens to tomorrow’s strength. God has wisely ordered our trials to come in portions, so we should bear them as they come rather than take them on all at once.
Worrying about the future is harmful. Today already has enough trouble—why add to it by anticipating future difficulties? Do not make life harder by worrying about what is to come. Through daily prayer, we receive the strength to bear each day’s troubles and resist its temptations.