Within the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave admonitions relative to the treasures we may accumulate (Matthew 6:19-34). With respect to temporal wealth, He exhorted us not to lay up treasures on earth (6:19). With respect to enduring wealth, He exhorted us to lay up treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there will be our heart also (6:20-21).
In order to achieve this worthy spiritual goal, we must maintain an outlook of the soul that focuses on heavenly things (6:21). We have two choices relative to this context. We will either maintain a spiritual eye that is good, and thus be full of light, or one that is bad, and thus be full of darkness (6:22-23). We cannot maintain both at the same time. Divided service is impossible (6:24).
The right choice is clear. Place the Lord first, and He will provide for us as needed (6:25-34). Therefore, with the Lord as our security, we are thus admonished not to worry about life, food, clothing and tomorrow.
To worry is to be characterized by an extreme uneasiness of mind or fear about a possible or unforeseen occurrence. It is concern that has been overwrought. I suppose that all of us worry at times and find it rather difficult to not do so. Yet, we often seek out practical things that we can do to assist us in obeying this divine admonition, as well we should. I would like to suggest some things that we can do that may assist as we are from time to time tempted to worry about things, despite the Lord encouraging us to do otherwise.
One author suggested that as we face the prospect of being engulfed by worry that we should live in “day-tight” compartments. In support of this, he quoted Thomas Carlyle who said, “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand” (James 4:13-16). This is not to suggest that attention to the future is hereby discouraged but that we should, when looking to the future, do so in a positive, timely manner. There are indeed occasions when looking to the future, especially in a negative manner, is unwise.
We should shut out the past, the dead yesterdays (Philippians 3:13), and shut out the future, the unborn tomorrows when the combined load of tomorrow, added to that of yesterday, being carried today, will cause the strongest of us to falter. The load we choose to bear must be regulated by the strength we have to bear it. Sometimes our strength is limited, and therefore, we must be careful about the load we take upon ourselves today.
The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow (Matthew 24:45ff) is to concentrate with all of our intelligence (Matthew 22:37) and enthusiasm (Titus 2:14) on doing today’s work (John 9:4) superbly today, including what should be done today in preparation for tomorrow. May we begin the day with “give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). May we also use our time (Ephesians 5:16) in working on today’s problems rather than on fretting about the problems of yesterday.
Good thinking deals with causes and effects (Matthew 5:29-30) and leads to logical, constructive planning (Luke 14:28-32), while bad thinking frequently leads to tension and nervous breakdowns. Therefore, as the prospect of worry arrives, let’s think logically and constructively. Perhaps it would be wise to think of our lives as hourglasses, and thus take daily tasks one at a time and let them pass through the day slowly and evenly, as do the grains of sand in the hour glass. As has been said, “Every day is a new life to a wise man” (Romans 6:4). “This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Someone suggested the following three-step approach as we face troubles in life that may lead to worry. (1) Analyze: discover the very worst that can possibly happen in this context; (2) Reconcile: reconcile self to accept the very worst, if necessary (the Book of Job); (3) Devotion: devote your personal time and energy to improve upon the worst case scenario already accepted.
We should remember that worry destroys one’s ability to concentrate on those things that need and deserve our attention, being fostered by a refusal to accept what we fear may come. Furthermore, the above three-step approach puts our feet on solid ground; we know where we stand. When we have accepted the worst possible scenario, we have nothing more to lose; we have everything to gain. From that vantage point, let us work diligently to achieve the very best possible as we face the problems of life.
