“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…”. Matthew 6:25

Lately, I’ve found myself worrying a little more than normal. 

If I was a lawyer and had to explain why, I could present a pretty convincing argument. The evidence is undeniably in my favor. Not only are there issues in my personal life, but have you seen what’s happening in the world?  These are volatile times, to say the least. 

So, yes, from my limited perspective, increased worrying feels 100% justified. 

What are you worried about right now?

So, when Jesus says, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25), my initial reaction is to chuckle and say, “Are you serious?  There’s PLENTY to worry about.” His command feels unrealistic, borderline impossible.  

Yet, if I pause to really consider Jesus’ words, I see that He’s extending me an invitation. He’s inviting me to follow Him, believing that He “is fully responsible for a life fully devoted to Him” (Charles Stanley).   

Or, to say it another way, Jesus is inviting me to become more of a worshiper and less of a worrier. 

His invitation is found in the middle of The Sermon on the Mount, a sermon where He describes the character, values, and behaviors of His followers. To put it bluntly, Jesus-followers shouldn’t be worrywarts.

Why?

Because Jesus is watching over us and has promised to meet our needs (Matthew 6:25-32). And you know what? We actually believe He’s telling us the truth! Ultimately, our firm belief in Jesus prevents worry from consuming our minds.  

You see, if we allow ourselves to be consumed by worry, we actually have more in common with “pagans,” people who don’t worship God (Matthew 6:32).  Jesus says that the cares and concerns of this life “dominate the thoughts of unbelievers” (Matthew 6:32 NLT). 

But Jesus-followers are called to be different, to stand out from the crowd.  

This doesn’t mean we pretend life is easy or turn a blind eye to the evening news. Jesus never said that we wouldn’t have stress or legitimate concerns. In fact, He openly acknowledges that “each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).  

But at the end of the day, we can either accept or reject His invitation “not to worry.” We have a choice: we either worry our way through life or worship our way through life. 

Worry and worship are two fundamentally different things:  

• We worry about things beyond our control. Worship reminds us that Jesus is in control. 

• Worry is a mind divided, pulled in many directions. Worship is a mind fixed on Jesus. 

• Worry is an expression of doubt. Worship is an expression of trust. 

• Worry momentarily forgets what Jesus has done. Worship remembers what Jesus has done. 

• Worry excludes Jesus from our internal conversation. Worship invites Jesus into our internal conversation. 

• Worry causes our spirits to sink. Worship causes our spirits to soar. 

Like me, you might have several valid reasons why you’re worrying more and more. Nevertheless, we get to choose what will “dominate our thoughts” – worry or worship.

So, make the wise choice.

Worshiping Jesus is a powerful weapon that weakens the power of worry. 

Written by Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH