Anxiety, Pt. II
1 Peter 5:7
“casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you”.
A certain amount of anxiety is good. It motivates us and gives us energy. The bible says the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This means that we respect God enough to listen to Him.
Jesus visited Mary and Martha (Luke 10). They threw a party for Him. Martha was busy with the preparations while Mary was sitting in front of Jesus listening. Martha got so upset she prompted Jesus to tell Mary to help. Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things. Only one thing is necessary and Mary has chosen it.” Here Jesus speaks of the necessity of some worry.
It is important to serve others (Martha’s job). However, if we aren’t right with God, it doesn’t provide any gains for us. Those served are benefited, but not us.
Matthew 6:33 says “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
We aren’t to worry about the “all these things”. The last several verses of Matthew 6 tells us not to worry about food, clothes and health. If we seek Him first, these will be added.
Does this mean we don’t have to work? Wrong. It’s a comparison. We have to be concerned about those things, but our chief aim is to be right with and walking with God. We do life’s responsibilities with God at the helm. A young person gets educated for a life of work. The older person works/raises kids under the banner of being committed to God.
While we do life’s work, we don’t let it drive us into the ground like Martha. Inside of her was a worry/anxious tornado. That attitude drained her of the joy God wants us to have.
Lord, help us to seek You first as we are doing life. Allow Your joy to drive out anxiety.