Daily Devotional for Thursday, March 5
The Attitude About Worry
“The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment,” Luke 12:23.
In DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, anxiety is defined as “the anticipation of future threat.” “Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat.” Worry adds another nuance as we mentally feel “apprehensive expectation.” Although Greco-Roman philosophers and physicians studied anxiety, it really became a “thing” in the twenty-first century. In diagnosing patients, anxiety was not equally considered a cause of physiological issues until about twenty years ago. Now it is an active buzz word with real effects.
Scripture addresses anxiety repeatedly. Have you seen the booklet or post listing three hundred sixty-five verses saying, “Do not fear?” One for every day! Anxiety, worry and fear are human vices. We live in a fallen world surrounded by evil. These feelings are natural responses, but Jesus reminded us that we do not have to let them overtake us. We have a mighty God who cares for us and oversees our every step and every hair on our heads.
In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus taught about anxiety. He said do not focus or worry about what you will eat or wear because life is so much more than food and clothing. Think about how much of our day is spent considering what we will wear or eat. We set lifestyle standards, and then we have to provide for that lifestyle. If that lifestyle requires overtime or extra hours at the office to pay for it, the small things of life have dominated. Jesus taught against that. The ravens and the lilies do not spin their wheels looking for food or clothing because God takes care of them. Jesus asked, “How much more?” (verse 28). How much more will God feed and clothe you as His children so you can focus on the bigger slices of life that really matter.
Jesus said to “seek ye the kingdom of God” (verse 31) because God delights in giving us the kingdom (verse 32).
THOUGHT
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:34).
Kelli Reynolds