“And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
– Luke 12:29-31
Jesus has a practical solution for worry. He instructs us to seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all will be delivered to us. I recently heard this great line by a pastor: “Why pray when you can worry.” We see the humor in this, don’t we? Many of us are hoping to get a break from our worries. However, we must acknowledge the unfortunate reality of the many concerns in the world today. Once we accept this, we can begin to change our viewpoint. We can set our sights in one direction: the Lord. Jesus uses the word merimnaō for “worry” and it actually means to be pulled apart in every direction. So instead of doing this, you go in one direction. You’re going to love and trust the Lord and do your best and forget the rest. We are in this together, in that we all have the same worries in this post-pandemic world, including economic challenges. Plus, we have our personal worries at home, like how will I afford rent and gas, or maybe your doctor gave you a negative prognosis. Friend, Jesus taught us to not worry about what we’ll eat, drink or wear, for the pagans run after these things, and our Heavenly Father knows we need them. The point was what Jesus said after: “BUT seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, and all your other needs will be added to you.” This is how we experience the life of God that leads to a worry-free life. |
Prayer
Father, thank you for showing me how to live a worry-free life. Help me to seek your Kingdom first.
Reflection
Do you worry more than you pray? How can you seek God first?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.