Matthew 6:25–34

²⁵ “Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

My high school was separated into six or seven separate buildings; meaning walking from class to class was often more like a sprint, praying I made it before the tardy bell. It was necessary to take into account the potential weather––did I need my umbrella out or should I be wary of ice––and on top of that, I was lugging around what seemed like 40+ pounds of books. I recall teachers telling me and my fellow classmates often to “Use your lockers!” But for whatever reason––lack of time, patience, or effort––most of my high school days, I never used my locker. I continued dragging around every book and binder, catching cramps in my back and gasping for breath at the top of every set of stairs (and there were many!). 

And then one day, I decided to take my teachers’ advice. I used my locker, and my school life was forever changed. Not only did my lighter backpack make me physically feel better, but it also allowed me to arrive to my classes sooner because I wasn’t weighed down by a heavy load. Further, it meant I was most often in a much better mood.

Worry is a lot like a heavy backpack. It often steals our joy and distracts us from living a hope-filled life in Jesus. We are weighed down by the heavy load of worry we bear. But there is hope for the worrier. When we give our worries to God, our load becomes significantly lighter; some worries may disappear completely, others may become light as a feather. Instead of letting anxiety consume us, we can choose to trust in God’s timing and provision.

This passage gives us a command to seek first His kingdom. When we put our trust in God and prioritize His ways, we can be confident that He will take care of us and our lives from the tiniest of details to the largest of details. This doesn’t mean we will never face hardships; but it does mean that our worries have a place to go––the Lord’s loving and ever-present hands!

Follow the SHINE Time devotional tool to dive deeper into today’s scripture!

Seek the Lord in prayer.

Highlight a characteristic of God.

Identify a truth about yourself or people.

Notice what the Holy Spirit is communicating to you.

Engage in the next action step. Think of a way to respond in obedience to what God has revealed to you today.