Weekly Devotional 7-25-22 Should a Christian Worry?
Being a Christian does not exempt one from the concerns or the problems that beset all of humanity but, should a Christian live in a state of worry? Problems are certainly the catalyst of concerns and worries that affect all of us, at least initially. However, as us Christians experience the problems that come our way, we are to include the Lord in their resolution. Many Scriptures tell us of God’s support of His people and if/when we come to a point of trusting in Him, we need not live in a state of worry.
Concerning this truth lets turn to the book of Matthew and read from Jesus’ encouragement and instruction to the twelve men He had chosen who would represent Him following His departure back into heaven. (Of course we know that one of them was not a true disciple).
Jesus said: “19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and]mammon. 25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one]cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”(Matthew 6:19-24).
Of course this was a message to the eleven. As Jesus ambassadors they would face many problems, hunger, nakedness, and battles with their old natures, but if they committed themselves to Him their physical needs would be met, and their spiritual battles would be won. Eventually (at the end of their physical lives) they would be awarded with heavens riches.
Granted, this was true of the eleven, but this is not necessarily the experience of all Christians. While all Christians will be rewarded with heavens riches many have died and many more will die in hunger, in need of proper clothing and other essentials of life. But the principles of Matthew 6:19-34 are applicable to them/to us. They/we may lose a few battles along the way but they/we, because of Jesus, will be victorious in the end.
Christians do not face life’s problems alone, at least they do not need to. The apostle Paul in his encouragement to the Christians in and around Rome, who were facing persecution from the Roman government and spiritual battles amongst themselves, wrote:
“28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who con-demns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-39). God’s love for His own, us Christians results in our justification and our glorification. Why worry about the temporal, that which is fleeting?
We can be sure brothers and sister we will have problems and trouble in this life, it is a guarantee. To be released from worry about those things though, the Christian/we must do four things. We must do our best in resolving whatever the problem may be, we must include the Lord in the problem, we must except that those things may not turn out the way we may want, and we must look past the present situation to an eternity where such problems will not exist. If we keep these things in mind, there will be no point in worrying. We are eternal beings after-all, and our present experience is only temporary.
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man