THE CURE FOR WORRY
The Cure for Worry
In September of 1988, Bobby McFerrin’s classic song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Top 100 list. How in the world did an a cappella reggae song make it all the way to #1?
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Because we all want to be happy. But we’re all worried.
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The song may be catchy, but it doesn’t work. You can’t just decide to stop worrying. It’s too strong for that. Despite our best attempts, so often it continues to nag at us, like a low-grade fever you can’t seem to get rid of.
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Jesus understood that. And in Matthew 6:25-34, he gives us two important reasons we shouldn’t worry and one powerful strategy to break free from its grip.
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In God’s Kingdom, Worry isn’t Helpful – or Needed
Jesus says three times in this passage, “Do not worry” (Matt. 6:25, 31, 34). Not because He’s dismissing our concerns, but because worry isn’t helpful.
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“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:27). We already know the answer, don’t we? As Corrie ten Boom says, “worry doesn’t rob tomorrow of its sorrow; it robs today of its strength.”
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But Jesus also says worry isn’t needed. Why?
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Because your Father already knows what you need (Matt. 6:32). He feeds the birds. He clothes the flowers. And you’re much more valuable than they are.
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This doesn’t mean hard things won’t happen. But it does mean we never face them alone—and never without hope. In God’s kingdom, worry is unnecessary because we are deeply cared for.
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The Strategy: NEST
Jesus doesn’t just say, “Stop worrying.” Instead, he gives us something better to focus on: his kingdom (Matt. 6:33). And this new focus breaks the power of the old fear.
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Using Jesus’ image of the birds of the field, here’s a simple way to put this into practice when worry begins to take over: Build a NEST.
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N – Name It: Tell God exactly what you’re worried about. There’s power in bringing your anxieties into the light.
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E – Examine It: Ask yourself if there’s something in your control you can do to improve the situation. If so, ask God to help you take that step.
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S – Surrender It: If it’s outside of your control, intentionally surrender your worries to God in prayer, remembering he loves you and is taking care of you.
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T – Trade It: Trade in your worries and replace them with a wholehearted pursuit of God and his kingdom.
Worry and anxiety are normal parts of living in our broken world. But Jesus says we don’t have to let them control us. Because we have a faithful Father who loves us and is taking care of us. And when we seek his kingdom first, he sets us free from fear.
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Praying with you and for you,
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Pastor John