Read Matthew 6:19-34
Sometimes I like to play a little mind trick on my daughters when they are sad. I’ll say, “whatever you do, don’t smile!” In a matter of seconds you have a smiling child who is slightly frustrated that they are smiling. It’s helpful to know that scripture doesn’t play mind tricks with us. When we are told to abstain from things, we are also given an invitation to an alternative focus. Yesterday’s daily talked about how anxiety stems from an unhealthy focus. Being told not to be anxious can ironically cause anxiety, unless we are able to shift our seeking.
Seeking isn’t bad; in fact, it is human. The problems of life arise when we seek the wrong things. You see, what you seek masters you. Having a master is inevitable but is your master a good one? If money is your master, it can never be trusted fully. If you don’t have money, you think having it will solve life’s problems and your obsession with that idea causes anxiety. If you have wealth, you may stress about how to invest it in such a way that it doesn’t slip away or wonder why it isn’t satisfying your soul’s needs.
The invitation of this passage is to choose a more reliable master. God doesn’t just tell us not to worry, he tells us to seek first the kingdom and the rest will be added. The beautiful thing about seeking the kingdom of God is that it cannot fail. Unlike any other earthly pursuit, the kingdom of God cannot fail. Our stress comes from hoping in unsteady masters. Don’t worry, this is not a spiritual mind trick. God knows our physical needs (see verse 32). Those needs are part of his kingdom. This isn’t about tapping out of life’s responsibilities either since kingdom seeking involves jobs, friendships, families, etc. This is an invitation to let the pressure rest fully on God rather than on your own shoulders.
Take a moment to journal about what things are causing you anxiety. How can you surrender the weight of those things to God? Pray a prayer of surrender over that list, something like, “God you know what I truly need today so I trust my needs to you. Give me what I need to successfully live out your kingdom plan for me today. Amen.”
By Aaron Bjorklund
