God’s Cure for Anxiety

 For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt. 6:25-34)

For this reason

Notice this passage begins with “For this reason.” The reason is found in the previous verses:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matt. 6:22-24)

The reason you are not to worry is that your treasure is in heaven. If you put your trust here on earth, of course you’ll worry!  Rust… moths… thieves…there are no guarantees in this world. Either you will trust in the things of this world for your security, or your treasure will in heaven, with an eternal perspective.

Why would you put your treasure in heaven? Because God cares for you more than any human ever could. He loves you. He is the source of Living Water and nourishment for your soul. Throughout the Bible He tells of His longing to have a relationship with you in which you trust Him and rely on Him and experience His goodness. He desires to enthrall you with what will make you eternally and ever-increasingly happy–namely, Himself (to borrow a phrase from John Piper).

The original lie

The original lie the first man and woman believed was to question God’s goodness and provision. “He’s holding out on you,” said the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3). “Can you really trust Him?” We still hear that lie whispered in our ears. The serpent’s intention is still to rob us of having peace in knowing the love of God.

Your anxiety is evidence of where you put your trust.  Jesus says it even stronger: “You cannot serve two masters.” Your anxiety is evidence of who your master is. Verse 33 supports this: But seek (treasure) His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Where is your treasure? Where do you put your trust? Who is your master? Your anxiety exposes your heart.

Other reasons not to worry: Evidence of His Goodness

 … His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness… (1 Peter 1:3)

And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 2:9-10)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; (2 Cor. 9:8)

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? … For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.) (Rom. 8:35-39)

What do you have to lose? Maybe your anxiety?

If you want to have a relationship with God, you must come to Him solely on the basis of what His Son, Jesus Christ did on the cross, Who took the punishment for your sin (which you deserved) so that you might live in relationship with God. Amazing love!

The gospel is the good news, that at the cost of His Son’s life, God has done everything necessary to enthrall us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happy–namely, Himself. John Piper 

If you are in the greater Wichita area and would like treatment for anxiety, give me a call!

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