25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:25-34 (KJV)

Is “worry” a sin? Yes, because it prevents us from completely trusting in God. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

What is worry?

The contemporary definition of “worry” is that it is a feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, or dread, fear usually related to something that may happen in the future. The Biblical definition is to be anxious, to be distracted, to have a divided mind, according to Matthew 6:25.

Stop worrying about your life or distracting the mind. To be anxiously concerning the means of subsistence or livelihood is to lose all satisfaction and comfort in the things which God gives, and to function as a mere infidel or unbeliever.

Things we worry about

  • Yesterday (Philippians 3:13)
  • Tomorrow (Matthew 6:34)
  • Necessities of life (Matthew 6:25)
  • Physical threats (Matthew 10:28)
  • What others think (Proverbs 29:25)
  • Being alone or abandonment (Hebrews 13:5-6)
  • Making the right decisions or choices (Exodus 3:9-12)
  • Bad or traumatic experiences (Acts 9:10-15)

Why we worry

  • Lack of faith
  • Fear of harm
  • Preoccupation with money or things
  • Circumstances
  • Lack of control
  • Not having approval by others

Examples of worriers in the Bible

  • Adam and Eve – after their sin they ran and hid worried that God would find them.
  • Saul – when Samuel did not come at the appointed time, he got scared and offered a sacrifice for the people (1 Samuel 13:9-12).
  • Elijah – when he ran from Jezebel (1 Kings 19)
  • Disciples – in the boat and Jesus came walking on the water (Matthew 14)
  • King Herod – when he heard that a king was born that might rival his kingdom, he feared and had all children under 2 years of age killed.

How to overcome worry

Recognize the attributes of God.

  1. He is all powerful. (Jeremiah 32:17, 27)
  2. He is ever present. (Proverbs 15:3, Psalm 46:1, 139:7-8)
  3. He is loving.
  4. He will never give us more than we can bear. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
  5. He is our defender. (Romans 8:31-32)

Learn to trust God, not man. (Proverbs 29:25)
God does not want us to handle our burdens on our own. He wants us to depend upon Him. In 1 Peter 5:7, it says, “Casting all our care upon Him for he cares for us.”

Take one day at a time. (Matthew 6:34)
Jesus said it is senseless to worry about tomorrow. We cannot change tomorrow by worrying about it today. Could it be that God wants to build your confidence in Him by the adverse things that come into our lives? Never let circumstances rule your heart. Let God rule your heart so you keep his perspective over your circumstances. Paul said in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”

Take everything to God in prayer. (Philippians 4:6)
Prayer and supplication cover all the communication with God you could ever need. But it also says that we are to pray with thanksgiving. When we have cares and concerns in our lives, we are not only to give them to the Lord but to also express our thanks for the burdens we do not have to bear as well as for the wonderful things God has blessed us with despite our current burdens.

When a potentially worrisome circumstances come into your life, every time you start to worry, stop, and pray for peace and give thanks for what good things God has already given you.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22 (KJV)