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Fight worry and anxiety – Part 1

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi
26 May 2019   |   3:57 am
“I say unto you, Take no thought for your life” (verse 25). “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit (18 inches) unto his stature?” (verse 27) “And why take ye thought for raiment?” (verse 28) “Therefore take no thought” (verse 31) “Take therefore no thought for the morrow” (verse 34). In this…

Kumuyi

“I say unto you, Take no thought for your life” (verse 25). “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit (18 inches) unto his stature?” (verse 27) “And why take ye thought for raiment?” (verse 28) “Therefore take no thought” (verse 31) “Take therefore no thought for the morrow” (verse 34).

In this brief passage, our Lord Jesus Christ warns and cautions us against worry and anxiety. He commands us not to be worried or anxious about our present needs and future prospects. Worry is unnecessary because we have a Heavenly Father Who cares for us.

Worry is unreasonable because we cannot improve our lot by worrying and being anxious. Worry is unwise because it cannot stop whatever is going to happen and it paralyses our faith, which has power to change all situations and things.

Worry causes and increases tormenting fear; it broods over what may never happen and creates unnecessary despair and depression, making our situations seem worse than they really are. Worry brings the pain of yesterday, borrows the burden of tomorrow and adds them to the concerns of today, thereby making our excessive load of the present hour unbearable.

Worry makes us live like a hopeless orphan, without a heavenly Father, without any promise of divine help and provision. When the Lord says, “Have faith in God”, He deems it to be a command forbidding worry and anxiety.

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life.” What is the meaning of “Take no thought”? Is the Lord teaching us not to plan for the future? Is He encouraging us to be thoughtless and careless about our lives? No. He expects us to plan ahead, count the cost, plan for the future on earth and plan with faith and commitment for our eternal future.

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:28-30).

What, then, does this mean? “Take no thought.” ‘Be not anxious, be not worried’. Christ’s command is that we should not be worried or anxious concerning any area of our lives – what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, etc. God, our Creator, Redeemer and Father Who gave us life will take care of that life.

Since He has given us life, we can trust Him to provide all that is necessary to take care of it. He will surely provide necessary food to sustain the life given. Since God has graciously and freely given us bodies, surely we can trust Him for adequate clothing for the body.

Further Reading (King James Version): Matthew 6:25-30; Matthew 6:25,31,34; Luke 12:22-30; Mark 13:11; 1 Corinthians 7:32; Philippians 4:6-8; Hebrews 13:5,6; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22; Luke 21:34-36; Matthew 6:26,27; Genesis 1:30; 8:6-19; Job38:41; Psalm104:10-14,27,28; Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:24; Job 35:10,11; Psalm 8:4-9; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Matthew 6:28-30; Luke 12:27-31; Hosea 14:5-9; James 1:5-8; Ephesians 6:16; Romans 4:18-21; 8:32; Psalm 37:16-19; Romans 10:11-13; Philippians 4:6-8,13,19.

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