06/17/2026
Cast Out Worry
John Ogden Sr
June 16, 2026
โThen He said to His disciples, โTherefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put onโโ (Luke 12:22, NKJV).
One of the greatest battles I have had to overcome in my life is the battle of worry or fear. When I see a problem, I want to take it into my own hands and solve it immediately. Patience has not been one of my better qualities.
In this passage, Jesus encourages the disciples not to worry but to put their faith in Him. He says neither life nor our body should be of concern to us, but what is important is that we place our total confidence and faith in Him. The disciples had made a major decision to follow Jesus. They traded their worldly professions and securities for what many would have seen as the unknown future.
At this point in their lives, there is a man named Jesus who claims to be the Son of God and encourages them to leave their old lives and follow Him. Can you identify with this? I think we all can. Whatever place we find ourselves in life, Jesus is saying to us, โFollow Me.โ He encouraged the disciples that their Heavenly Father knows when a sparrow falls; how much more does He know and care about them or you and me (Matthew 10:29-31)? Jesus constantly taught His disciples that God has the provisions and everything we need. He encourages us to refocus our priorities from self to dependence on Him. When our life, our faith, and our priorities truly rest with Jesus, only then are we able to look into the unknown with total peace and confidence that we not only belong to Jesus but that He will lead us to where He wants us to be. He encourages us to take our anxiety and give it to Him and learn to trust Him with it. We should be thankful that God cares enough to provide for our needs. It is not only okay to ask God for help, but we are encouraged to do so. Only when we become as little children, with our total confidence in Him, can we grow to be who He has called us to be. Worry is putting question marks where God has put periods. It is time that we put periods where we have had question marks.
