Matthew 6:25-30: Why Are You Anxious?

A few days ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to have coffee with one of my Resident Directors. He really wanted to get to know me, and pour into my life, which was super cool. At the end of our discussion, he asked how he could be praying for me, and I mentioned that I had been feeling anxious lately. He prayed over me, but then gave me a piece of advice that I'm not sure I will ever forget. He told me whenever I am anxious to ask myself this question: "Why?"

This self-diagnosis question is really a good idea. Not only does this question make us think about our sin and how to attack it, but it kills it at the root. If we ask ourselves this question, we are not merely attempting to kill "anxiety" but rather to kill the source of that anxiety. Ultimately, if we are always killing our behavior and not killing the evil intentions of our heart we will not truly be killing anything (I read that in one of my books yesterday called Transformational Discipleship, really good, I highly recommend). Therefore, we must ask ourselves the question "Why?" in order to get at the root of our sin.

Ultimately, this is what Jesus does in Matthew 6:25-30. There is truly so much to look at within this text, but I found something really cool in it this morning: Jesus is encouraging us to ask ourselves "Why?" as well. In this short text, there are five rhetorical questions all, in their own way, asking "Why are you anxious?" This is so beautiful; surely we ought to often ask ourselves this question.

But ultimately, the beauty of the question is that is has no good answer. There is no good or justified reason to be anxious, that is, if we are truly saved. We serve a both loving and sovereign God who both has the power to do all things for our good and the desire to work all things for our good. God's sovereignty and love upon his children discredits any reason for anxiety and worry. There is no reason a Christian ought to ever worry about anything because God is both good and caring.

So, why are you anxious? I encourage to ask yourself this today. And if (when?) you find yourself with an insufficient answer, try killing your sin at the root. Praise the Lord! He helps us conquer sin.