Worry is the anxious, restless concern that seeks to control or secure the future by the power of one’s own thoughts and efforts.
It is a form of unbelief that forgets the character and care of God.
Scripture repeatedly commands believers not to worry, and instead to trust the Father who knows what they need.
Worry adds nothing useful to life; it drains strength and distracts the heart from seeking first the kingdom of God.
Worry is one of the most common struggles of daily life, yet Jesus and the apostles treat it as something that must not master the Christian. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses worry over food, drink, and clothing — the basic necessities of life — and points His disciples to the Father’s faithful provision for birds and flowers. Paul later instructs the church to replace anxiety with prayer and thanksgiving so that the peace of God may guard their hearts. Worry is not the same as careful planning or legitimate concern; it is the fearful, self-reliant dwelling on what might go wrong that crowds out trust. The antidote is not positive thinking but a renewed vision of who God is and what He has promised.
- Worry is repeatedly forbidden in Scripture because it contradicts trust in the Father’s care.
- It focuses on tomorrow and on what we cannot control, while neglecting the responsibilities and grace of today.
- Jesus links worry with little faith — a failure to remember the Father’s knowledge and goodness.
- Worry accomplishes nothing; it cannot add a single hour to the span of life.
- The biblical alternative is prayerful trust: casting cares on the Lord, giving thanks, and seeking first His kingdom.
- God does not promise a life free of trouble, but He does promise His presence, provision, and peace in the midst of it.
- Chronic worry often reveals deeper questions about whether God is truly good, wise, and in control.
¶ Key Aspects of Worry and Its Remedy
- Nature of Worry – Anxious preoccupation with future needs or threats that rests on self rather than on God.
- Root Issue – Little faith; forgetting the Father’s character and promises.
- Futility – Worry cannot change outcomes or lengthen life; it only burdens the heart.
- Jesus’ Teaching – Look at the birds and the lilies; your heavenly Father knows what you need.
- Apostolic Instruction – Do not be anxious about anything; pray about everything with thanksgiving.
- Replacement – Trust, prayer, gratitude, and the pursuit of God’s kingdom and righteousness.
- Promise – The peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard the heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
- Matthew 6:25-34 – “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… Look at the birds of the air… Consider the lilies of the field… 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…”
- Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
- Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
- Luke 12:22-31 – Parallel teaching of Jesus on not being anxious for life or the body.
- Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
- Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
- Proverbs 12:25 – “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”
- Psalm 94:19 – “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”
- Matthew 6:8 – “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
- John 14:1, 27 – “Let not your hearts be troubled… Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
- 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Worry is a heavy burden that Jesus never intended His people to carry. It promises control but delivers only exhaustion. The remedy is not to try harder to stop worrying, but to look up — to remember the Father who feeds the birds, clothes the lilies, and knows every need before we ask. When anxiety rises, the call is to turn it into prayer, to give thanks for what is already true, and to seek first the kingdom of God. The same Lord who commands us not to worry also promises a peace that surpasses understanding to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Cast your cares on Him. He cares for you.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.