Trusting God Over Worry: Lessons from Matthew 6

As the year draws to a close and the busyness of the holiday season ramps up, it’s easy to find ourselves overwhelmed by worry—about family, finances, work, and the countless details that fill our days. Yet, Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 call us to a radically different way of living. He challenges us not just to avoid worry, but to see it as a matter of spiritual significance, on par with the other “raising the bar” teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Just as Jesus calls us to deeper integrity in our actions and worship, He calls us to a deeper trust in God’s provision and care.

Jesus uses simple, everyday examples—the birds of the air and the wildflowers of the field—to remind us of God’s attentive care for even the smallest parts of His creation. If God provides for them, how much more will He provide for us, His image-bearers? Worry, then, is not just a harmless habit; it’s a statement about what we believe about God’s character. When we worry, we’re essentially saying that God is either unable or unwilling to care for us. It’s like micromanaging God, double-checking His work because we’re not sure He’ll get it right.

But Jesus doesn’t just tell us to stop worrying—He gives us a new focus. Instead of chasing after the things everyone else is anxious about, we are to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. This is not a call to ignore our needs, but to trust that our Father knows them and will provide. Choosing not to worry is itself an act of worship, a declaration that God is trustworthy, faithful, and good.

This choice is not always easy. Worry can feel automatic, but we are invited to respond differently—to remember God’s faithfulness, to rehearse His promises, and to let our trust in Him be visible to a watching world. In a culture marked by anxiety, our peace can be a powerful testimony, opening doors for conversations about the hope we have in Christ. Every moment of worry is an opportunity to worship, to trust, and to point others to the God who cares for us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Worry is not a trivial issue; it’s a spiritual matter that reveals what we truly believe about God. When we allow worry to take root, we’re making bold statements about God’s character—questioning His care, His wisdom, and His willingness to provide. Recognizing the seriousness of worry helps us see why Jesus addresses it alongside other significant heart issues in the Sermon on the Mount. [43:35]
• 2. Our actions, including our worries, reflect our deepest values and beliefs. Just as our spending habits or the way we treat others reveal what we treasure, our tendency to worry exposes whether we trust God or feel the need to control our own lives. Every act of worry is a subtle declaration that we must take matters into our own hands because God might not come through. [50:06]
• 3. God’s care for creation is a daily reminder of His faithfulness to us. The birds and wildflowers, which neither toil nor store up, are provided for by God’s hand. If He lavishes such care on things that are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He care for us, whom He made in His image and for His purposes? This truth invites us to rest in His provision rather than striving in anxiety. [47:17]
• 4. Choosing trust over worry is an act of worship. Worship is not confined to music or Sunday gatherings; it’s a posture of the heart that responds to God’s character in every circumstance. When we choose to trust God in the face of uncertainty, we declare His worthiness and faithfulness, even when we don’t see the outcome. This daily decision to trust is a powerful form of worship that shapes our hearts and our witness. [54:14]
• 5. Our response to worry can be a testimony to the world. In a culture saturated with anxiety, choosing peace and trust in God stands out. When others see us responding to life’s challenges with calm assurance, it opens doors for conversations about the source of our hope. Our trust in God not only strengthens our own faith but also invites others to discover the God who is worthy of trust. [58:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [17:25] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
• [19:55] - Celebrating Generosity: Food Bank and Corn Drive
• [33:49] - Entering the Holiday Season: Busyness and Worry
• [34:47] - The Universal Struggle with Worry
• [36:10] - The Sermon on the Mount: Raising the Bar
• [37:41] - Hypocrisy in Worship and True Righteousness
• [39:11] - Why We Stand for God’s Word
• [39:46] - Reading Matthew 6:24-34
• [41:28] - Context: Worry and Serving Two Masters
• [43:35] - Worry’s Spiritual Weight
• [44:27] - Birds and Wildflowers: God’s Care Illustrated
• [47:17] - Our Value in God’s Eyes
• [50:06] - Worry as a Statement about God
• [52:20] - Redirecting Our Focus: Seek First the Kingdom
• [54:14] - Trust as Worship
• [58:50] - Witnessing Through Trust
• [60:13] - The Daily Choice: Worship or Worry
• [65:15] - Closing Prayer and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:24-34 (ESV) —
> 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
>
> 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
>
> 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Observation Questions

1. What are the specific things Jesus tells us not to worry about in Matthew 6:25?
2. What examples from nature does Jesus use to illustrate God’s care and provision?
3. According to Jesus, what is the alternative to worrying about our needs?
4. In the sermon, what connection was made between worry and serving two masters? [[41:46]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus place the command not to worry right after talking about serving two masters? What does this reveal about the relationship between worry and our loyalties? [[41:46]]
2. The sermon said that worry is not just a harmless habit, but a spiritual issue that reveals what we believe about God. Why is worry considered so serious in the context of the Sermon on the Mount? [[43:35]]
3. How does worrying act as a “statement” about God’s character, according to the sermon? What are we saying about God when we choose to worry? [[50:06]]
4. The sermon described choosing trust over worry as an act of worship. In what ways can trust in God be a form of worship, even outside of singing or Sunday gatherings? [[54:14]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon compared worrying to “micromanaging God,” like double-checking someone’s work because you don’t trust them. Can you think of a recent situation where you tried to “micromanage” God by worrying? What would it look like to let go of that control? [[51:40]]
2. Jesus points to the birds and wildflowers as reminders of God’s care. Is there something in your daily life that could serve as a similar reminder for you to trust God’s provision? How can you use that reminder this week? [[44:27]]
3. The sermon said that every act of worry is a subtle declaration that we must take matters into our own hands because God might not come through. Are there areas in your life where you feel you have to “take over” because you’re not sure God will provide? What would it look like to trust Him in those areas? [[50:06]]
4. The idea of “seeking first the kingdom” was presented as the alternative to chasing after what everyone else is anxious about. What does seeking God’s kingdom look like in your everyday routines, especially when you feel stressed or overwhelmed? [[52:20]]
5. The sermon challenged us to use moments of worry as opportunities for worship. What is one practical step you can take the next time you feel anxious, to turn that moment into worship or trust? (For example: memorizing a promise of God, praying, or recalling a time God was faithful.) [[55:32]]
6. In a culture marked by anxiety, the sermon said our peace can be a powerful testimony. Can you think of a time when your calm response to a stressful situation made someone ask about your faith? How might you be more intentional about letting your trust in God be visible to others? [[58:50]]
7. The sermon ended by saying that choosing not to worry is itself worship, and that this choice can strengthen your faith and invite others to trust God too. What is one area of worry you want to surrender to God this week, and how can your group support you in that? [[01:00:13]]