Lesson Nine • Do Not Be Anxious
Devotion 1: Promises Over Fear and Anxiety

Pastor John Carter

This week we are going to walk through the very real element of anxiety. This seems like an appropriate path to follow as Jesus just showed us some of our very real and often deceiving areas that we tend to cling to for security. Last week, Jesus walked us through earthly treasures versus heavenly treasures. He walked us through how to see things from a heavenly perspective versus seeing things from an earthly perspective. The truth is that walking through that can often lead us to a place of anxiety or fear. I love how Jesus is so aware of our human condition that He immediately talks to us about where our heads go next. A lot of our worrying can start with the phrase, “What if?” It can be things like, “What if I cannot feed my family, lose my house, or do not have clothes to wear?”

This week we are going to walk through these very real and important “what if” concerns through the eyes of Jesus, which is a heavenly perspective. The main passage we will be breaking down is Matthew 6:25-34. Each day, we will take a portion of this passage and look at other Scripture to help us understand the meaning and application for our lives.

Matthew 6:25-34 says, “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. ‘Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’”

What is the initial thought that comes to your mind as you read that passage? Is it comfort? Is it a passage that internally makes you feel good? Do you tend to see the pessimistic part or do you see the promise?

When I read this text, I tend to see all the areas that are problematic. My mind shifts to the parts that can raise some questions. It is the parts that, in my head, I question, “Can I trust this?” Maybe you are completely different in that regard and you see the promising parts first. Having a little bit of an understanding of the human condition, I would venture to say more of us can relate to the problematic statements than we can to the statements of promise. Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. “Do not be anxious about your life,” is completely opposite of my natural thinking. I tend to do everything I can to protect my life and make sure my life does not incur any unnecessary harm. In fact, we are taught as kids to do this very thing: to protect ourselves from any element of danger or discomfort. We teach kids that in order to grow up and be strong, we need to eat healthy foods. I am pretty certain that, as a kid, my parents convinced me that I had to eat the very thing I hated most, peas.

The truth is there is a lot in this passage that has “promise” written all over it. We tend to allow our earthly vision to take over and only see things from our earthly perspective. Are there a few in this passage that make you think? While we will address those through the coming week, I think it is important to examine an element of Scripture that often gets left unaddressed. That is the worthiness of the Word of God. It deserves our trust.

I find myself having to correct my perspective, especially when I read something that challenges some of my basic natural instincts. I have found that in order to correct my earthly view, I need to remind myself of the trustworthy aspects of God that I already believe in. For example, “Does God love me?” I have no problem believing that. I can show you tons of Scripture that affirm it as well. I can also tell you real stories of how His love was shown to me over and over again. Most believers can, more than likely, do the same thing. Another question could be, “Did Jesus forgive me?” In this series, we have looked at that very subject, the forgiveness of God. Those who have received that forgiveness and the promises of that forgiveness, tend to have very little reserve in accepting it. There may be times when we doubt it, but we often go back to the very Word of God to affirm the original promise we received. Those are just a few examples of things I remind myself of that I know I can trust. So, when I read something that sends me to a part of my head that questions the very statement, I am reminded of the things I know I trust. You may have your own areas of Scripture that you have nailed down and know you can trust. When we hear or see things that cause us to question, we need to examine the “why” in, “Why do I not trust this?”

As I write this I am reminded of Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:12-15, “Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of a reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.” Peter understood the power of reminding ourselves of the truth of God’s Word. Jesus Himself, in the high priestly prayer, also pointed us to this very powerful understanding. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

It is part of the human condition to receive elements of truth we like, and seriously question the elements we do not like. Walking through the “why” is incredibly important. Why do I not trust these words but I can trust other words from the same person? I am talking about Jesus, not me. My hope and prayer this week is that God will reveal in your heart some areas of doubt, fear, or anxiety that we can work through. Jesus is not giving us a task that is impossible. He gives us a bunch of promises in these passages. Hopefully, we will learn to trust the promises over the doubt. I pray we will learn to trust the promises over the fear. I hope we will learn to trust the promises over the anxiety. God’s words are true and trustworthy. Here are a few verses to encourage you to trust in the words of God.

  • “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

  • “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:9-10

  • “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4