Fear comes to every sinner because fear is our response to the prospect of punishment (1 John 4:18). It is therefore natural to be afraid - which we most commonly exhibit as worry. We worry when we are not able to control our own circumstances to our advantage; when we are uncertain about our future and fear the consequences of past bad decisions; when we allow Satan to tempt us away from our security in Christ.

Jesus said that we should not worry. In these verses He gives 5 reasons. Firstly, that the life we have today is real: as real as our bodies are alive today. Live one day at a time and live it to the full, refusing to stop investing in its opportunities by worrying about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). Secondly, that God provides everything we need. If He provides for the birds, will He not provide for His people? Thirdly, that we have a Heavenly Father who had taken the responsibility to give all that is needed to His children. Fourthly, that we are the most valuable part of God's creation and so God will not forget about any one of us. Fifthly, that absolutely nothing can be achieved by worrying, it only disables us.

So although fear and worry are the endemic soul-diseases of sinful humanity, Jesus commands a different mindset. He instructs us to change the habits of a lifetime and to reject the lies of Satan who tells us that if we try harder we can control our destiny. So, why do we still worry? Perhaps the answer lies in the security offered by our heavenly Father. If we do not believe that we are special to Him and that He pledges Himself to supply all our needs, then we will worry.

The problem is that we do not believe that we are loved, provided for and protected by God ('There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear'. 1 John 4:18). So the first step forward is to repent of our unbelief. The second is to accept that we are loved, not because of our good character but because Jesus has been punished for everything which has contributed to our bad character, and so we can be forgiven and accepted. We will need the help of God's Word and His Spirit to assure us that we are loved, despite what we might feel. We will need to learn to draw near to God and learn to accept His love, at the same time as we resist the devil until he flees from us. Worry is the biggest symptom of unbelief. As we stop worrying, our family and work colleagues will notice that we are much more confident and less controlling: then we can explain that we are trusting Jesus.