And he said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. (Luke 12:22)

Anxiety is to be unduly concerned about things we have no control over.  Anxiety is to doubt the goodness and sovereignty of our God.  Anxiety is to question deity while relying on humanity.  Anxiety is to question the promises of God while trusty in a failing flesh.  Anxiety is demonstrated in numerous ways throughout humanity. 

We are anxious about the weather.  We are anxious about finances.  We are anxious about health.  We are anxious about our sports teams.  We are anxious about our vehicles.  We are anxious about our retirement.  We are anxious about the government.  We are anxious about being anxious too much. 

In the gospel of Luke we find the word anxious five times (10:41; 12:11, 22, 25, 26).  Martha is anxious about serving and her anxiety leads to judging Mary.  The Lord instructs the disciples to not be anxious about what they should say when they are brought before human rulers.  In Luke 12:22 and following the Lord commands us to not be anxious and he uses birds and flowers to show how useless it is for us to be anxious. 

Birds do not sow or reap and they do not have a barn, but yet they are taken care of.  Flowers neither toil nor spin, yet not even Solomon in all his glory was as beautiful as a flower.  The Lord presses the story hard upon us with piercing questions: “Which of by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  If anxiety does not extend life, but rather it most likely shortens life, “why are you anxious?” 

Anxiety is a lack of faith.  A lack of faith is unbelief.  Unbelief is a sin.  Sin needs to be repented of. Dearly beloved, at the root of anxiety one will discover a lack of faith in the promises of God and a complete misunderstanding of the love of God.  John Owen reminds us to, “Rest in his love; that is, he will not remove it – he will not seek farther for another object.  It shall make its abode upon the soul where it is once fixed, for ever.”

In regard to anxiety our Lord tells us that we should not fear, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  If the Father will grant unto us the greatest of things we have not one reason to doubt that he will give of the smaller things.  Meditate upon the love of God and cast your cares upon him, for he cares for you.

Pastor: J. Randall Easter
II Timothy 2:19
“He who sells cheapest shall have most customers; the devil knows that it is a cheap and easy doctrine which pleases the flesh, and he doubts not but he shall have customers enough.” (Thomas Watson)