Blake Long

Author’s note: October has been an incredibly busy month for work. On top of that, I have been struggling, per se, with writer’s block. Sorry for the decrease in blogs! Hope this edifies you.

In Luke 12:22-31, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about anxiety. Jesus explains to the disciples why they—and why we—shouldn’t be anxious. There’s a reason why this is one of the more popular passages of Scripture—people are anxious. We’re anxious about everything; anxious about finances; anxious about job security; anxious about food; anxious about marriage and children; anxious about new opportunities or times of conflict.

We have plenty of opportunities to be anxious, but the Lord Jesus commands us to not let anything give us anxiety.

Simply consider what Jesus says in one section of this passage: “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds” (Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬)!

God sees to it that the birds of the air are taken care of, yet we worry about His provision for us? To be frank, we may claim we trust His providential care, but our anxiety reveals the opposite. When we are anxious about everything, we trust God with nothing. We cannot be anxious and trust the Lord at the same time.

But that’s why Jesus tells us not to be anxious. Do we truly trust Him? Are we secure in His sovereign care for our lives? Do we genuinely believe He’s providing everything we need? If so, than we have no need to be anxious. And His argument in that specific verse is this: if I take care of the birds—who have less value than you—don’t you think I’ll take care of you? If I make sure the birds of the air and other creatures are provided for, don’t you think I’ll see to it that those for whom I died are taken care of? Of how much more value are you than the birds and other creatures?

When we truly believe Jesus’s words, then anxiety seems like an afterthought—if that. It may creep into our mind but we shut it down quickly by remembering who our Father is.

The Son of God’s argument came directly after this exhortation: “And he said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing’” (Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭22‬-‭23‬).

Jesus has promised to meet our needs—not necessarily our wants. As a result, we should never be anxious.

John MacArthur observed:

He is calling here for worry-free, anxiety-free, and fear-free living. He is saying that it is possible to rise above all the troubles of this life, to have what the apostle Paul called the peace that passes understanding; that is, the peace for which there is no human explanation. It calls for an end to anxiety and fear and worry and panic, and all those things that can be so debilitating, so disturbing, and so depressing and distracting in life.

If you are a child of God—if you are a Christian—then you can be free of anxiety. You don’t have to let it plague you, to have it destroy you from the inside-out. So, what is it, believer? What is causing that anxiety in your heart, that is producing worry and stress in your life? Whatever it is—whether finances, marriage problems, or anything else—the Lord Jesus wants you to know this: You don’t have to be anxious. Rely on Him. Stop carrying everything on your back and place it on His. He’s there for you. Cast all your cares on Him!

In contrast, unbelievers have every reason to be anxious. Not only do they not have the “peace that surpasses all understanding” but they also are under the wrath of God, unless they repent and believe (Mark 1:15).

We all struggle with anxiety to a certain extent, some more than others. Jesus knows we will have problems with anxiety because, ultimately, we have a problem with fully trusting Him. Don’t let the cares of this world beat you down, Christian. Give all of that to the Lord, and He will hold you up.