January 18, 2010
weighed down with worry? shift your focus
Matthew 6:19-34
Jen Farrell
Central Truth
Focusing on God's character, faithfulness, and promises helps to provide peace in times of worry. Believing God has our best interest at heart and has a plan for us is an important foundation for not allowing worry to rob us of God's joy for us.
Key Verse | Matthew 6:34
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)
Matthew 6:19-34
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust 1 6:19 Or worm; also verse 20 destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 2 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
Do Not Be Anxious
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? 3 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters 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.
Dive Deeper | Matthew 6:19-34
When we found out we were expecting, I thought, “This is going to be exciting!” It turns out, however, that worry is a real joy killer. Irregular results, and tests that wouldn’t rule out concerns for weeks, upset me initially as I dealt with the emotional side of the experience. I would be expecting a routine check up, but instead sometimes received news that maybe all was not well. There was a constant reminder of verse 27 (NLT), “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Of course not. It was a discipline I had to apply, reminding myself that God was in control and was trustworthy, and the outcome was out of my hands.
Blake Holmes delivered a message at Watermark years ago about fear undermining our confidence in God’s faithfulness, and how helpful it is when we “shift our focus” from our circumstances to remembering God’s faithfulness and His character. I have used this application countless times in my life.
God’s character is displayed in 1 John 3:1a (NIV): “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” I started feeling so attached to our little guy before he was even born. You have that feeling like there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do for your child. You just want the best for him, and that is how God feels about us. We are his precious children!
Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV) says, "[W]hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” A key part of these verses is the phrase “put it into practice.” It will look differently for everyone, but confessing my worry to my husband and friends was a great practice for me to keep it from robbing me of God’s blessings in my life.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever found yourself weighed down with worry? What is your strategy to "shift your focus" in those times?
2. Have you cultivated a spirit of thankfulness for the ways God provides for you, heals you, and loves you? I would recommend the devotional 31 Days of Praise.
3. Do you believe that God is for you and has a plan for your life? (Jeremiah 29:11)
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How do we store up treasures in heaven?
2. Which are more important to you, treasures on earth or treasures in heaven?
3. What things do you worry about? What does God say about our worry (verses 27 & 33)