Listening about Worry

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? 26Look 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? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^e ?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If 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? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Mt. 6:25-34)

Thoughts: Worry takes away from our ability to worship.  Worry siphons off our strength to trust in God and give ourselves fully to Him.  I just finished watching, "A Bridge of Spies."  The spy who was caught never worried.  When his lawyer asked him if he ever worried, the spy said, "Would it help?"  Even in the face of a whole nation despising you, or even if all say "crucify", it doesn't help to worry, panic, or freak out.  We replace worry with prayer- lifting up our fears and concerns to God (Philippians 4:6-8).  We replace worry by seeking first God- focusing on Him instead of what might happen.  In the end, all our worries will fly away if we are able to simply focus, seek, and trust in God.   Jesus was trying to just get his followers to have peace and relax. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to stop.  Help me to stop thinking it is all up to me or simply up to my circumstances.  Let me focus and seek you first.