Worry is trying to control the uncontrollable. The root word for "worry" literally means "to choke or strangle."
Four reasons we do not need to worry
- Worry is unreasonable. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25)
- Worry is unnatural. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26)
- Worry is unhelpful. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27)
- Worry is unnecessary. "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30)
- Get to know God. "People who don't know God and the way He works worry over these things." (The Message Paraphrase of Matthew 6:32)
- Put God first in every area of my life. "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:31-33)
- Live one day at a time. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)
- Trust God to care. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
