Don't Be Solicitous!

IT HAS NEVER FAILED! SO, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT 100% OF MOST THINGS I HAVE FRETTED, WORRIED ABOUT, OR WAS ANXIOUS AND TROUBLED OVER NEVER HAPPENED OR TURNED OUT THE WAY I HAD THOUGHT IT WOULD. I WASTED A LOT OF TIME ON NOTHING!

WHAT SADDENS AND SHAMES ME THE MOST, IS THAT WITH SUCH DEEP SEATED WORRY, I WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY GET ACID REFLUX AND HEARTBURN. SO, BY COMPOUNDING MY SITUATION MY WHOLE FOCUS BECAME ON FINDING THE ANT-ACIDS/TUMS.

I AM EMBARRASED TO ADMIT THAT MY FAITH AND TRUST WAS MORE IN THE ANT-ACIDS TO TAKE AWAY MY HEARTBURN THAN IT WAS TO “CAST ALL MY CARES” ON GOD AND SEEK THE ONE WHO COULD PROVIDE FOR MY SITUATION AND GIVE ME PEACE TO THE POINT OF NOT NEEDING THE ANT-ACIDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

HOW MANY OF US FRET AND WORRY OVER THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE? I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT RELATE TO WORK, FAMILY, CHILDREN, SCHOOL, HOME REPAIRS AND OUR CAREER. THERE ARE MANY THINGS IN LIFE TO WORRY ABOUT.

FOR THE MOST PART, RIGHTLY SO! THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS FOR OUR LIVES, OUR FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND WORK THAT MUST BE DONE, ACCOMPLISHED OR PROVIDED. HAVING A PASSION AND CONCERN FOR THESE THINGS IS NOT THE PROBLEM.

I THINK WHAT JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH IS THAT WORRY CAN BE JUST AS DESTRUCTIVE TO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE AS IT IS TO OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH. WE SHOULD NOT INCESSANTLY WORRY ABOUT THE BASIC NEEDS OF LIFE BECAUSE SUCH ANXIETY STEMS FROM LITTLE OR EVEN LACK OF FAITH.

JESUS IS TEACHING THAT WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF PROVIDING FOR ALL OF OUR NEEDS. IF WE WILL INVEST OURSELVES IN THE WORK OF GOD’S KINGDOM IN THE WORLD, WE CAN BECOME LESS ANXIOUS REGARDING THE FUTURE, IF WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON GOD.

ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS I SEE IN THIS PASSAGE IS ALSO WHAT JESUS IS NOT SAYING ABOUT WORRY. HE IS NOT IMPLYING WE SHOULD HAVE A TOTAL LACK OF CONCERN FOR HARD WORK, “EARNING OUR KEEP” AND HAVING A CONCERN FOR DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO PROVIDE AND CARE FOR OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. IN NO WAY IS HE SAYING “KICK BACK AND LET GOD DO ALL THE WORK!”

JESUS WAS EMPHASIZING THAT WHAT WE FOCUS ON IN THIS LIFE ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WILL TRANSFER ON INTO ETERNITY. WE ARE TO KEEP AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE OF LOOKING HOW WE CAN IMPACT THE FUTURE AND ETERNITY WITH WHAT WE ARE GIVEN IN REGARDS TO OUR TIME, MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, AND EVEN OUR FINANCES.

THE WORD USED HERE FOR ANXIOUS IS A VERB THAT CAN MEAN, “TROUBLED WITH CARES” OR “SEEKING TO PROMOTE ONE’S INTERESTS.”THAT MEANS, ONE WHO IS AXIOUS ABOUT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD HAVE BECOME SO FIXATED ON THEIR ISSUES IT BECOMES A HINDRANCE, A DISTRACTION AND HAVE HAD THEIR ATTENTION DRAWN AWAY FROM THE THINGS OF GOD.

WHEN WE BECOME OVERLY FOCUSED ON SUCH SIMPLE THINGS AS FOOD AND CLOTHING WE START TO BECOME IMMOBILIZED TO THE POINT WHERE OUR TRUST IS DIVERTED FROM GOD TO OUR OWN ABILITIES TO PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES.

WORRY PRESENTS US WITH THE DUAL TEMPTATION TO DISTRUST GOD AND TO SUBSTITUTE FEAR FOR PRACTICAL ACTION. WORRY MEANS PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE CANNOT CHANGE INSTEAD OF PUTTING OUR ENERGIES TO WORK IN EFFECTIVE WAYS.

JESUS MAKES IT CLEAR THAT WORRY TAKES AWAY FROM LIFE RATHER THAN ADDING ANYTHING TO IT. WE CAN COUNTERACT WORRY BY DOING WHAT WE CAN AND TRUSTING WHERE WE CAN’T.

WHEN WE LIVE FOR GOD AND WAIT ON HIS TIMING, WE WON’T HAVE TIME TO WORRY. WHEN WE SEEK FIRST TO HONOR GOD AS KING AND CONFORM OUR LIVES TO HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, WORRY WILL SOON BE CROWDED OUT AND HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR LIVES.

SO, THEN, WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?: CHRISTIANS ARE PRESENTED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF PRIORITIES. WE MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT OR BE READY TO ACCEPT IT, BUT WE MUST. OUR PRIORITIES MUST BE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE WHO ARE OF THIS WORLD!

UNBELIEVERS HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES: COMFORT, LEISURE, PLEASURE, MONEY, FASHION….JUST TO NAME A FEW.

VERSE 33 IS PARAMOUNT: “BUT, SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNES AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.” THE KEY WORD HERE IS “SEEK”….YOU MUST GO AFTER IT!

THE FORM OF THE WORD “SEEK” IS PRESENT IMPERATIVE. THAT MEANS, FOR US, THAT “SEEKING” IS NOT ONLY A COMMAND, BUT IT IS A CONTINUING OBLIGATION. WE MUST BE ACTIVELY PURSUING AND ACCOMPLISHING THESE THINGS CONTINUALLY.

WE ARE OBLIGATED TO SEEK THE THINGS OF GOD AND ALL THAT HE CONSIDERS RIGHTEOUS AS OUR TOP PRIORITY IN LIFE. IT IS SEEKING TO ADAPT OUR LIFE TO LIVING AS GOD REQUIRES AND TO SERVE AND OBEY HIM IN EVERTHING. IS THAT HARD? ABSOLUTELY!