by Kala Loptien

Fix Your Focus

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“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
Matthew 6:27 English Standard Version

I did some googling recently. I was curious: how much time do we spend living anxiously, worrying about various parts of our life? I had a feeling I would find some compelling data. In a recent study by Talker Research, the average person spends about two hours and eighteen minutes each day worrying. Here are a few intriguing takeaways:

Younger generations reported longer periods of worry. Many respondents listed that anxious thoughts occurred most when alone and also right before falling asleep. Money topped the worry category list, with family worries and health concerns following closely behind.

Let’s face it. We all worry about something at some point during the day. It’s almost impossible to curb. We probably even worry about worrying. Our passage in Matthew brings this potential stumbling block to the forefront. Jesus knows our limits as flawed humans — that our minds are easily distracted and deceived by the things of this world. He challenges His disciples and listeners to consider all God has done. The birds of the air and the grass of the field; they are given exactly what they need. How would He then not provide for His dear children?

Jesus addresses specific worries; and though times have changed a bit, the message remains the same. He reminds us that God knows we have basic needs to be met and worries to address. Instead of spending all our time stuck in the throes of worrisome thoughts, He says to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Lord, help us fix our eyes on you. Give us the power to take our thoughts captive, spending more time seeking you and less time worried about tomorrow. Amen.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado