Undue anxiety is very common…yet Christians must help it; for the Lord’s precept is plain and binding: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus!” Philippians 4:6-7
Fretful anxiety is forbidden to the Christian!
It is needless. “Look at the birds of the air,” said Christ: “they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” … God takes charge of the birds of the air, and thus they live exempt from anxious care — why do not we?
Our Lord also taught that such anxiety is useless as well as needless; for, with all our care, we cannot add a single hour to our life!
Can we do anything else by fretful care? We do not better ourselves a bit, by all our fretting and fuming.
It would be infinitely wiser to do our best — and then cast our cares upon our God!Prudence is wisdom — for it adapts means to ends.
But anxiety is folly — for it groans and worries, and accomplishes nothing!
Besides, according to our Savior, anxiety about worldly things is heathenish: “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them!” They have no God and no providence — and therefore they try to be a providence to themselves.
Our distrust of our God is both childish and dishonoring.
If we cannot trust Him — could we manage better ourselves?
If we are Christians, let us believe in our God, and leave the governance of the great world to the Lord God, our heavenly Father, who will surely cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him!
HI aj…Once again WONDERFUL words of encouragement….in God’s own words…’DO NOT WORRY’…It is by Faith that we can both claim and cleave to His promise.
I know for me, the temptation to not see God in every circumstance is a constant plague. I need to remind myself of this Truth every day…some days I do better than others. 🙂 I have to always remind myself that worry is sin! Thanks for your encouragement! aj