Worry – What does the Bible say?

from the old testament

• Exodus shows how God wants us to trust in Him, which relieves us of worry. As the Israelites wandered in the desert, God provided manna from Heaven (Exodus 16:14–19). They were told to gather as much as they needed, but not to keep any for the next day; those who did found that the manna “bred worms and stank” (Exodus 16:20). The message here was that God would provide for the daily needs of the nation of Israel. They gathered, but He provided.
• In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have every reason for worry as Nebuchadnezzar threatens to throw them in a furnace if they do not bow down to a golden idol. But the young men show remarkable calm because they trust in the Lord. They tell the king, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17–18).
• Daniel 6 describes a plan by satraps in King Darius’s court to prevent Daniel from praying by threat of death. Daniel 6:10 indicates that Daniel “knew that the document had been signed” and despite that, he prayed in clear view of everyone, “as he had done previously.” Rather than becoming anxious at the possibility of his death, Daniel sought God and trusted Him.

from the new testament

• In Matthew 13, Jesus relates the parable of the sower. He explains one part of it this way: “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). In this parable, the “cares of this world” or “worries of this life” (NIV) are the cause of someone not being fruitful with the truth. This is an example of how worry can separate one from more important spiritual matters.
• Luke’s account of Mary and Martha provides insight into what Jesus thinks about worry and what He desires we do instead (Luke 10:38–42). Martha was distracted and concerned about mundane matters, but Mary “chose the good portion”: sitting at the Lord’s feet to learn from and worship Him (Luke 10:42). Mary modeled what we all should prioritize.
• Acts 16 aptly illustrates the right attitude. Paul and Silas are imprisoned, but rather than fretting about their state, worrying if or when they would be freed, they were “praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). They were seeking God above all rather than worrying about their present circumstances.
• Paul’s experiences could make him say with confidence, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. . . . do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:4–6). Like Paul and Silas, believers should pray and thankfully trust in God for our provision.

implications for today

Everyone has been anxious at some point in their lives. Some struggle more with this issue than others. The Bible instructs Christians to manage our daily obligations, but not worry about them so much that they distract us from God’s kingdom. For instance, a Christian works to provide for himself but shouldn’t become unduly worried about how the economy will affect his retirement fund. He can only fulfill his responsibilities; the future is in God's hands. Even Christian ministers might worry about the "success" of the ministry, i.e., number of conversions. But Christ only commands us to spread the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth; the Holy Spirit is responsible for the conversions (John 3:5–8). Spiritually, believers in Christ have no need to fret: our salvation is secure in Christ, and we are free from both condemning guilt and the fear of death (Romans 8:1, 35–39; Hebrews 2:14–15). As Christians, we are called to follow Christ’s commands, but we are not called to be anxious about the results.