If you scroll through your facebook, instagram, or twitter feeds, you will see hundreds, if not thousands of pictures with just empty shelves. People are panicking, and for good reason, there is a virus that nobody knows how to stop or treat, and it’s spreading like wild fire.
The passage from Jesus’ The Sermon on the Mount is gives us three practical ways we can live panic free and with purpose when the rest of the world is panicking.
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.
Matthew 6:31-34 (ESV)
1. God knows what you need
Jesus’ first statement tells us not to be anxious. It’s easier said than done, right? Let’s be honest about our anxiety. The reason a lot of us get anxious is because of the unknown. We can’t see it, imagine it, or quantify it. That inability to quantify or imagine the unknown is what makes us have fear and worry that paralyzes us from living full lives.
The good news is that God knows the quantity of need, he doesn’t even need to imagine how it will get into our possession. It’s easy not to be anxious when you know that God knows exactly what you need. Why worry when your heavenly father knows that it is a need?
2. Seek God’s Kingdom
Instead of worry, Jesus says to seek God’s kingdom. He tells us to look for where God is, and chase after what he is doing in our lives. If Jesus made us heirs of God’s kingdom, then shouldn’t we be seeking our father’s kingdom because that’s where we want to be? That’s our true home, that’s where we are an heir.
How does that look practically? Simple – get in the Word of God, pray to God, and ask God to fill you with his Spirit, who will help you and me see God’s kingdom come. This becomes so tangible because when we allow ourselves to be filled with God’s Spirit, we are telling ourselves that God is in control and that we go at his pleasure.
I’m writing this now because I went to seek out God’s kingdom in God’s word and was filled with thoughts he is sharing with me about my anxiety, as I sit with all sorts of cabin fever. He can do the same for you too.
3. Focus on what you can do today
Last way to live panic free — focus on what you can do today. There are things you can do– notice I didn’t say “accomplish” — you can do things, it may not accomplish the big picture that gives you anxiety, but it will give you traction in a direction until that big picture accomplishment is brought to fruition.
You do not need anxiety from things that you cannot do today, so focus on what you can do. If that means going to the grocery store to only pick up fresh meat, vegetables, and fruit because everybody else in the community raided the canned food isles and shelf-stable items, then so be it– eat well until there are canned items for you.
Prayer: God, we are filled with so much anxiety because a virus of unknown quantity has spread through the world and has set us all in panic. We ask that you can calm us down by providing for us as we seek your kingdom and by focusing on the things you give us ability to do, today. Thank you for taking care of us even when we don’t know it. In Jesus name. Amen.
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