“Jesus Said Don’t Worry… So Why Do We?”

What do you do when your mind won’t slow down… and the worry just won’t let go?

In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus says something that feels almost impossible: “Do not be anxious about your life.” But what does He actually mean? Is He dismissing what we feel… or inviting us into something deeper?

In this episode of Bible, Basically, we walk through Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount and unpack what anxiety really is, why it holds so much weight, and what it looks like to trust God in the middle of it. Because maybe the goal isn’t to pretend we don’t feel anxious… maybe it’s learning how to stop carrying it alone.

Bible, Basically — figuring out faith, together.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Welcome to Bible Basically, where we are figuring out faith together. Today we are going to be talking about anxiety. It is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. It plagues me on a daily basis. I I yeah, it's it's something that I think we all go through. And it doesn't usually knock. It creeps in. Usually quiet at first. It's like a thought you can't shake, or what if that you just won't let go? What if this doesn't work out? You know, what if something goes wrong? What if I'm not ready? And before you know it, your mind is racing, your chest feels tight, and you're trying to solve tomorrow at two o'clock in the morning. We all carry it. Some of us just hide it better than others. And then Jesus says something that almost feels impossible. Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. And it is another section of that Sermon on the Mount that we covered earlier in an earlier episode. I'll read it again. Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. He doesn't say, you know, not to manage it. He doesn't say to reduce anxiety. He just says, don't be anxious. So what's he really saying? Because if we misunderstand this, we can either feel guilty about being anxious or we completely ignore what he said. And it's like, look, God, I know you're supposed to give us stuff that we can't handle, not supposed to give us stuff that we can't handle, but this is crazy. And we feel anxious anyway. But why don't we reframe our thinking? What if this isn't a command meant to crush us? What if it's an invitation to finally put something down that you and I were never meant to carry? Like I said, in the very beginning, I suffer from anxiety. I cannot tell you how many times I've woken up at two or three in the morning and just not been able to go back to sleep because my mind won't shut off. I try to watch stupid videos. I flip on little nature sounds to try and relax. I am look, I will be the first one to tell you I am medicated for anxiety. Sometimes that doesn't work. Sometimes you just don't know what tomorrow's going to bring. And that feeling of limbo, especially when it comes to your life, drives you crazy. Jesus was talking about all this once again in the Sermon of the Mount. And remember when we talked about the Sermon of the Mount before, Jesus is basically giving us a guideline on how to live on that sermon. And in this part, he's teaching us what real trust in God looks like. I had a teacher years and years ago. I mean, we're talking seventh and eighth grade. I'm never going to forget him. His name was Mr. Forrest. And he used to say, if you pray for rain, you better carry an umbrella. And now he was talking about faith. But faith is a huge part of what we're talking about today when it comes to anxiety, because faith is trusting God. Faith is believing that God will help get you through what you're going through. In 625, he says, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, or what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Jesus isn't saying that you're not going to have any problems. Let's get that clear. To accept this path, to live for him is accepting a difficult path. But what he's saying is anxiety is not your solution.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

As Christians, we are commanded to live a certain way. Which means we have a degree of responsibility. Responsibility is good. Let's eliminate the religious aspect in your life. You have things that you need to take care of. Responsibility is a good thing, but we know with all responsibility comes anxiety, right? If you are responsible for something, you're going to worry about it naturally. So what do we try to do? We prepare for it. Right? So responsibility, good. Preparation, brilliant. Wise. But that last little piece of the puzzle that is part of our humanity is anxiety. And that is basically trying to control what only God can control. Looking at those aspects of those responsibilities that are out of your control and worrying to the point of losing sleep, shedding tears, fretting. That's the bad part. That's what Jesus is saying. Man, look.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Just relax. I got this. I got this.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

In first Peter five, verse seven, he says, casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. Not once has God ever asked us to carry something alone. I think you, I hope you are starting to see the theme in the things that we've talked about over the past few weeks.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

God's always there. God's always there.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

One of my favorite parts of this verse set is Jesus goes on in twenty six, in Matthew 6, 26, and he says, Look at the birds of the air. They neither soar, so let me rewind that. Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns. And yet your heavenly father feeds them.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

Are you not of more value than they? Are you not of more value than they?

SPEAKER_01 11:59

For those of you who are parents, I'm sure in your heart, if you and your child are hungry and you get a bite of food, who are you gonna give that bite of food to a parent? There's nothing more precious than the life of their child. And we are his children.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Are we of not more value than the birds in the sky?

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Psalm twenty-three one basically says, and everybody knows this: the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. It is his job in a sense. He has taken this responsibility to take care of us. He is our shepherd. I shall not want.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

That means I won't need for anything.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

After Jesus talks about the birds, he says, and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And that's one of the most relatable verses in this section. That's Matthew 6, 27. Jesus is basically looking at us and he's saying, So what's being anxious really gonna get you? You think it's gonna help?

SPEAKER_00 14:04

You think you'll live longer by being anxious? I love doing this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

I have often said that I have never learned more in my life than when I was teaching. And that holds true for this. A lot of times when I'm going through subjects to pick, I am basically, as you probably figured out, just talking about what I'm going through. And I'm reading the Bible in the context of how can this book help me through what I'm going through? And I know you guys are going through it also. So invariably, if I find something that helps me, I want to share it so that it can help you too. And right there, that verse spoke to me. And he's basically looking at me, me, Dennis, and saying, by being anxious, will that add a single hour to the span of your life, Dennis?

SPEAKER_00 15:29

How will that help?

SPEAKER_01 15:36

We're often anxious about things that we can't control. Things that we literally have no control over. Now, let me tell you, God is sovereign in all things. God is sovereign in all things. We are anxious about something that we can't control, but he can. And when we adopt that sentiment of anxiety, it's because we are grasping for control. And it promises control. Maybe the more I think about this, I can figure out a way to bend it to my will and do what I need.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

But all it delivers is exhaustion. It doesn't fix tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

In fact, not only does it not fix tomorrow, it steals today. Proverbs twelve twenty-five says, Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. You know, my family is going through something pretty serious with one of our family members.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

And I heard yesterday, you know, we take the dub when we can, right? We take the dub, the W, the win. And that's so true. Think about all those moments when you've been going through something rough, and somebody somewhere tells you some good news. It's like a weight lifts off your shoulders in that moment. It may come back. Anxiety is not uh anxiety, it's like a bad boyfriend or a bad penny, just keeps turning up, right? No matter where you look, there they are.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

No matter where you look, there's anxiety.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

But when you get that good news, that weight is lifted off of your shoulders, and you feel so much better in that moment. Anxiety is not just mental, it is weight. It is putting strain on you. And if you let it, it will put strain on those around you. But Jesus tells us He says in Matthew six thirty-three, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things will be added to you. So what's he saying? Well, that's what we're supposed to do instead of being anxious. Because often you think about it and you're like, okay, once my life is stable, then I'll get back to church. Right? I need to get everything in order before I can focus on God.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

But Jesus says the opposite.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

These are red letters, folks. He says, put God first and trust him with the rest.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

I had a very wise person.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

And I think I mentioned this on an earlier episode. When I was at the height of my depression and the height of my anxiety, and I refused to get help. Now they were talking to me about seeking therapy, right? Getting help from another individual. But think about this in the context of what we're talking about. They told me, how dare you do it alone? How dare you think that you can do this alone? We are not meant to carry the burdens of this world on our own. Let him take the burdens off of your back. Let him take the weight of anxiety off of you.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

Proverbs says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. This is the hardest part that a lot of us have to deal with.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Because we have to replace that desire for control with trust in God. Finally, Jesus starts to wrap it up in Matthew six thirty-four with this part, and he says, Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

But we sure can live today.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Faith lives in the present. Anxiety lives in the future.

SPEAKER_01 22:26

And I talked to several therapists. I'm a mess, y'all. I'm a mess. And that's okay. That's okay. I will always probably be a mess, but I am lovingly created by the Father, and I'll never be perfect, but I'll be perfect in his eyes because he made me.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

But I used to constantly play that what if game? What if my health never gets better? What if I go sooner than I should? What if life takes a turn? What if I lose everybody?

SPEAKER_01 23:35

And little by little I started realizing as I've been reading and understanding more scripture, especially going back to that book of Job, he lost everything. He lost his health, he lost his house, he lost his kids, he lost his money.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

But there was one thing he never lost, and that was God. He never lost him. I never lost him. And I never will. So when I do start getting anxious and I start getting antsy about something, I pray. I'll pray with faith.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Philippians 4 6 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer.

SPEAKER_00 24:59

Let your requests be made known to God. Bring tomorrow to God. And then live today with Him. Guys, we all go through this.

SPEAKER_01 25:27

We all have anxiety. We all worry about things we can't control. Maybe you're carrying something heavy, a situation that you can't control. A future that you can't figure out. A weight that follows you into every quiet moment. Maybe you've tried to think your way out of it. Or plan your way out of it. Or fix your way out of it. But it's still there. Jesus knew we would feel this way. That's why he didn't say, just figure it out. He didn't say get stronger. He didn't say try harder.

SPEAKER_00 26:19

He said, don't carry it. Look at the birds. Look at the sky.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

Look at how your father takes care of everything that he created.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

And then remember, you matter more. And maybe you need to hear that.

SPEAKER_01 26:50

So I'll tell you again. For those of you who are out there who don't think they matter, you matter more.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

So look, today we're not going to have all the answers.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

And it's time to just loosen your grip on everything you've been trying to control. And trust that God is already holding it. Because faith doesn't mean that you never feel anxious.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

It just means that you're not facing it alone. Thanks for listening. You're all in my prayers.

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Bible basically figuring out faith.

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Together.