Message summary: Worry is the result of failing to practice active faith in God’s constant, never-ending care over us. Our faith must be active and constant, for when there’s a lapse worry can get a hold. And we know that leads to a negative outlook on life.

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“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” (Matthew 6:31,32). "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:5-7).

What are you worried about today? What is robbing you of “the peace that surpasses all understanding"? Oswald Chambers wrote: “Worry is an indication that we think God cannot look after us".

Sometimes in life there's a storm on the horizon and you can see it's coming your way. But you don't know when it will come. That can sure prompt an anxious heart. But at other times a storm's coming and you can't see it yet!

In high school I took a class in photography and we used a dark room to develop the negatives. (Of course now with digital photography many would not know what a dark room is.) See photo.

Here's an interesting, thought provoking saying, “Worry is the darkroom where negatives are developed".

Worry is the result of failing to practice active faith in God’s constant, never-ending care over us. Our faith must be active and constant, for when there’s a lapse worry can get a hold. And we know that can easily lead to a negative outlook on life.

The source of worry for our Lord’s initial hearers in the Sermon on the Mount are all objects familiar to us; food, drink, and clothing.  However the issue was not: “What shall we eat or drink?” in the sense of choosing between a variety of abundant food choices or deciding what clothing to wear from our extensive wardrobe. No, much of the world has no idea of what it’s like to have a large wardrobe or an abundant food pantry, they just need something to eat! Jesus is speaking of necessities, not luxuries. Thus He is speaking of legitimate concerns. But much of our anxiety is prompted from the desire that things should happen as we wish rather than as God wills.

“Worry” translates a Greek word (merimnao) that has the sense of turning over and over in the mind, or being divided. It seems to me that the division in our minds that can lead to worry is fundamentally this: “Will God take care of my needs or will He be negligent in His promises?” That really sums it up.  Jesus said that our heavenly Father knows what we need and the Apostle Paul wrote: “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Is that true or not?

Is God ever exasperated? Does He ever throw up His hands at a situation and proclaim, “O my, what am I going to do now”? Of course not! He’s always in complete control even though we, in our finite understanding, are not always able to comprehend His ways or timing. Ultimately faith requires that we trust God and wait to see how it will all work out for our good. And we just may not understand until we get to heaven or it will no longer need to be understood since much of our thinking today comes from our earthly existence and our earthly troubles disappear when we enter the portals of heaven.

Today, let us rest in the assurance that it’s His nature to love and care for His own. “The LORD is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made” (Psalm 145:13).