Wasted Brainwaves

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Matthew 6:25
I tell you not to worry about everyday life (v.25).

I chatted with a close friend while standing in line
at a local coffeehouse. But then a sliver of worry
pierced the moment. It had been several hours since
I left home. I wondered if I had been away too long. I
pictured my kids wailing and unhappy. The “what ifs”
started rolling. Seconds later, I spotted a sign above the
cash register. It read: Worry Is a Misuse of Imagination.
I had to agree. Worry sometimes involves dreaming up
problems that may never exist. It also includes legitimate
concerns over trouble in daily life. Jesus said, however,
“[Don’t] worry about everyday life—whether you have
enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear”
(Matthew 6:25).

We’re not supposed to lose sleep over those things
because fretting won’t fix our problems. It’s ineffective.
To emphasize this point, Jesus asked a question: “Can
all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
(v.27). Personalizing Jesus’ question may help us avoid
wasting our time with worry. Consider these questions:
If I stew about being single, will I meet Mr. Right? If I’m
preoccupied with getting pregnant, will we conceive? If I
worry about finding work, will I get a job?

Jesus assures us that worrying won’t work, but faith
can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Speaking to
nail-biters like myself, He inquired, “Why do you have so
little faith?” (6:30). It’s a good question. As Christians we
have already learned to trust God for our salvation, and
evidence of His provision in the here-and-now is all around us, for He faithfully
clothes the flowers and feeds the birds.

Since God provides for the fragile and fleeting parts of His creation, we don’t
have to waste our brainwaves on worry. Instead, we can give all our concerns to
God, because He cares for us (1 Peter 1:7).

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

more›
Read Isaiah 26:3 to see how it’s possible to retrain our minds when
we tend to worry. Read Psalms 37:5 to learn about some alternatives
to worry.

next›
Why is it impossible for worry and faith to coexist in the heart of a believer?
How does worrying affect our relationship with God?

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