Anxiety Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 
And why are you anxious about clothing? 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 arrayed like one of these. 
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Anxiety

Why is Jesus so concerned with Anxiety? Because anxiety or worry is so prevelant in us. All people worry to some extent, but for 40 million people over 18 suffer from an anxiety disorder. That is 18% of the population. Anxiety disorder is when unreasonable anxiety or worry causes a signifagant alteration to the way you live.

Anxiety happens when you focus on the negative side of the what if equation.
Anxiety is the driving force behind political campains.

General Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Panic Attacks

Past experances like people who went through the great depression
Physical or sexual abuse
Confilict
Physiology and genetics

1.      What you often hear

a.      This to shall pass

b.      Give it to the Lord

c.       God will not give you more than you can handle

d.      Have more faith

e.      Get over it

f.        The Accountant “if you worry it means you suffer twice”

g.      “Don’t worry, be happy”

2.      Jesus’ answer

a.      Sounds like “don’t worry be Happy”

b.      Focus on God’s provision

c.       Focus on living for God.

3.      Focus on God’s provision

a.      God takes care of the flowers and the birds, He will take care of you!

b.      Romans 8:31  “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

c.       Romans 8:38 & 39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

d.       Moses at the red sea, people in the desert without food or water

e.      The disciples in the boat

f.        Focus on what God can and will do.

4.      Focus on seeking the kingdom of God.

a.      set a goal and work toward that

b.      put your energy into kingdom work

5.      what can we do for our friends as indiviguals and as a church?

a.      Do not down play their feelings

b.      Do not ridicual their faith

c.       Create a safe zone, with me you are safe, in this place you are safe

d.      I’ve got you!, We’ve got you! Rest here my friend.

e.      Jesus has got you!