Worry.

It can rob you of contentment. You know it. I know it. We all know it!

Maybe that’s why Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount are so poignant, powerful and popular: “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25, 27)

In short, worry and faith can’t both command the same brain at the same time. If we trust God to provide for our needs, and focus on seeking him, worry isn’t able to get to the middle of our minds.

But if we don’t trust God to provide for our needs, and don’t focus on seeking him, worry can quickly fill the vacuum and set up shop.

Over the next few days I’m going to share some thoughts about how to focus more on faith and less on worry.

Today it’s about rooting yourself in the voice of Christ.

That means reading his words. Digesting them. Trusting them. Applying them. On a daily basis. It’s so obvious that we almost miss it. This is what Jesus’ listeners were doing in this very story!

The more we listen to the voice of Christ, the more we trust the voice of Christ, and the more we live by faith in Christ.

There will always be volume in your life. Would you rather it be filled with the voice of Christ, or the voices of worry?

So as you start to think through your battle with worry, remember that worry and faith can’t both command the same brain at the same time. They might both be present, but only one can be in command. So tip the scale with step one, and root yourself in the voice of Christ.

Every. Single. Day.

By Matthew Ruttan

–Unfortunately there was a problem with the livestream/video this week so you can’t watch the sermon this devotional is based on; but you can listen still listen to the audio-only here. It’s called “The opposite of worry” and is Part 4 in the Contentment series. Enjoy!
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.