Do Not Worry & Be Grateful
Prayer for Illumination
Sovereign God, You said, “My Word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” So we ask You to speak to us and accomplish what You desire for us here and now. In the name of Jesus, Your Living Word we pray. Amen.
An exasperated husband asked his wife, “Why are you always worrying when it doesn't do any good?” She quickly replied, “Oh yes it does! 90% of the things I worry about never happen.”
It’s a funny response, but there’s a grain of truth in it. In fact, research by Dr. Don Joseph Goewey found that 85% of what people worry about never actually happens.
Of the 15% of worries that come true, 79% of people report that they handled the situation better than expected or learned something valuable from it. So, in the end, 97% of the time, our worries are either unnecessary or less troubling than we feared.
I recently spoke with a widowed elderly woman who lives alone in a co-op apartment. Her eldest son lives overseas, and her younger son is on Vancouver Island. She faces challenges—her health is declining, she is lonely, and she struggles with language barriers.
Many around her suggest that she return to her home country to be closer to family. But she worries: Will she be able to afford life without Canada’s Guaranteed Income Supplement? What if things don’t work out as planned?
As we talked, she began to reflect on her past—realizing that despite her constant worries, God had always provided—food on the table, clothes to wear, and good friends who cared for her.
Though she had no surplus, she never starved. Sighing, she admitted that many of her fears were about things that never happened. She recognized her lack of faith, even after 80 years of witnessing God’s faithfulness.
What about you? Do you find yourself worrying about things that may never come to pass?
Today’s text is part of the great Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus commands His followers not to worry about their lives—what they will eat, drink, or wear. This was a daily concern for many marginalized people in Jesus' time, just as it is for countless individuals today.
Many people work two or three jobs or take on extra hours, struggling to make ends meet, pay rent or mortgages, and cover bills. They worry about putting food on the table and packing lunches for their children.
While most of us may not be worrying about our basic needs like food, drink, or clothing, we are not immune to anxiety. In these challenging and uncertain times, we often find ourselves worrying about our lives, future, and tomorrow.
To address this, Jesus points to the natural world as a profound example of God's care. He says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”
He adds, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.”
The word “consider” here comes from the Greek word katamanthánō, which means to grasp or examine carefully and thoroughly. Jesus invites us to look deeply at creation—the birds, animals, flowers, and trees. They don’t worry about what to eat, drink, wear, or how they grow. However, God provides for them and causes them to grow.
A poem by Elizabeth Cheney, called, “Said The Robin To The Sparrow" goes:
Said the robin to the sparrow, “I should really like to know, Why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so.” Said the sparrow to the robin, “Friend I think that it must be, That they have no Heavenly Father, Such as cares for you and me.”
Jesus tells us the same in today’s passage: “O you of little faith… don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Anxiety and worry won’t solve our problems. They won’t add a single hour to our lives; in fact, stress can harm us. Worry is the opposite of faith and trust.
God’s message to us as believers is clear: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, be grateful and pray about everything.” Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.
This doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing, waiting for blessings to fall into our laps. Just as birds actively search for food, we are called to work diligently and faithfully, doing our best while trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness.
When we live this way, we experience God’s provision and peace—a peace that surpasses all understanding. His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
As Jeremiah 17:7–8 says, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
We are called to live in the present, trusting that God cares for His children today. He provides us with our daily bread and everything we need for this moment.
We don’t need to worry about tomorrow because when it comes, God will be there with us, ready to meet the needs of that day.
In the wilderness, God taught the children of Israel the same principle of daily dependence on Him. He provided them with just enough manna to sustain them for that day.
When they tried to gather extra manna, worrying about tomorrow, it spoiled and rotted. God was teaching them to trust in His daily provision, one day at a time.
Just as God wanted the Israelites to rely on Him each day, we too must trust in His faithful supply for our daily needs. Why? Because He is our Father.
Think about our children or grandchildren—they don’t worry about what to eat, drink, or wear. They simply say, “I’m hungry,” and we provide food.
Imagine if Ian came to you and said, “I’m worried about whether we’ll have enough food for dinner tomorrow.” What would you say? Likely something like, “Why are you worried? I will take care of it. I’ll make sure you have what you need. You don’t have to worry about it.”
In the same way, our Heavenly Father asks us, “Why do you worry? Don’t you trust Me?” He is a good Father who provides exactly what we need, in the right amounts, and at the right time.
Some of you may be going through a storm or crisis right now, or perhaps you see one approaching quickly. In times of many storms, it’s easy to lose heart and spend sleepless nights worrying.
But our Heavenly Father reassures us: “Look at Me. I am right here to take care of you. Don’t worry about tomorrow. There is no problem too big for Me to solve, no mountain too tall for Me to move, no storm too dark for Me to calm, and no sorrow too deep for Me to soothe.”
In the midst of life’s storms, we need to pause and remember that we have a loving Father. He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, for us. He can provide all we need, He is willing to do whatever it takes to protect us, and He always wants what is best for us.
Jesus’ command, “Do not worry about tomorrow,” calls us to live fully in the present and trust Him in every circumstance. Worrying about tomorrow is like imagining a future where God is absent.
But that’s not the truth. Jesus teaches us to live in God’s presence today, to face each challenge as it comes—through prayer, knowing that our heavenly Father will be there tomorrow, just as He is today.
So, instead of worrying or complaining about the problems in our lives, let’s be grateful for them. We can choose to complain about our struggles, or we can thank God, expecting to see what He will do through them.
I’m reminded of the story of a young mother, overwhelmed by the demands of two preschoolers and a baby. One night, completely exhausted, she cried out to God, listing her frustrations: “The kids don’t listen, the house is a mess, my husband doesn’t seem to care…” The complaints kept flowing.
Then, suddenly, a quiet voice spoke to her heart: “Which one do you want Me to take away?” At that moment, she realized everything she complained about was precious to her. Instantly, she began to thank God for each thing on her list.
Let’s change our perspective. When we look at our lives through God’s eyes, our problems turn into possibilities, and our challenges become opportunities for His work to unfold. You will see how God takes even the hardest situations and brings good from them.
Do you know the song “God is So Good”?
Let’s sing it together now, confessing to God, “You are good,” and praising Him for His unfailing goodness.
God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good, He’s so good to me.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we are so blessed by the gifts from Your hand and the things You have done.
Open our eyes to see the people, situations, and challenges that we often worry about through Your perspective. Help us to trust in You, knowing that You are our loving Father who understands our needs and provides for us.
In the name of Jesus Your Son, we pray. Amen.