Anxiety and the Sovereignty of God

The lilies of the field, oh how beautiful they are! Jesus tells us to look at how they are clothed and protected by the Father—how King Solomon, in all his splendor, was not clothed even as they are—and then to consider how God will take care of us.

No matter where we find ourselves, it seems almost impossible to run away from things that have us anxious. As soon as we’ve finished worrying about one thing, whether it has been resolved or our heart has moved on, another will stroll along finding its way into our minds, tugging at this or that. Or maybe it appears to roll in more like a thunderous storm, especially if its that ever familiar anxiety about the work we’ve yet to do (which of course will never end) or the deadlines we must still meet. Many of us aren’t even that anxious about ourselves, or at least not as much as we are for others, be it a spouse or a child or whoever, we may worry with every update they give, or fail to give. It often doesn’t matter the outcome or the circumstances, as much as the fact that we feel as if we won’t be able to handle what is ahead of us, or that if we can handle it, it will not result in the way we desire. But what can this worry produce? Or how can it help? Jesus asked, “Which one of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” Or in other words: what could you possibly gain from worrying, what benefit might it have?

“Do not be anxious about your life…” Matthew 6:25

Jesus brought this command to his Sermon on the Mount almost 2,000 years ago, knowing it would still ring true today. It is not a mere suggestion that He brings to the moral conversation; He did not merely say, “you do not need to worry, God will take care of you.” No, he commanded us, “do not be anxious!” If our faith is in the Lord, we will be taken care of. He is our Provider, for He even provides for the grass. What does Jesus then call those who worry? “O You of little faith” (6:30). Avoiding anxiety is not just something Jesus suggests, it is a command, and when we disobey it, we are insulting God, telling Him we do not trust Him, that we have no faith! It is as if we say “Lord, I do not trust that You are in control.” For if we did trust Him, we would rest in the knowledge that he takes care of all things!

“For those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

This command was not limited to Jesus’ sayings for Paul repeats the same here in Romans (see also Philippians 4:4-7). To worry about our life is to sin, for we are proclaiming to God that we do not trust Him. How can such anxiety be healed? By replacing it with faith. Let us put our faith in Him who loved us and died for us: our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is calling us now not to live in anxiety; not to be worried, but to have our hearts and minds guarded with the faith in Him who works all things together for good. Now this “good” does not mean we will get all we believe is good for us, but rather what is good in the sight of God, and if our faith is strong in Him, we will be able to perceive this good ourselves. You must not worry about your life, for you cannot help yourself anymore than you can change the will of God. The Lord is in control of all things, and it is such a joy living with our faith fully rooted in Him!