A dear friend’s call last night led me to reflect on the perfectly packaged message in Matthew 6.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. –Matthew 6:25-34

It seems that anxiety creeps into my heart when I fear lack of provision … suddenly I forget God’s faithfulness in providing everything I need and Satan tempts me into worry.

Post-college I spent a year fumbling through adult life (and I’m still fumbling…I don’t think it’ll ever end), and the Lord was faithful through the doubts and fears that ensued in that season.

When I needed a place to stay, families from church and sweet friends opened their homes to me.

When minimum wage didn’t seem to add up to what I needed for the month, there was a miraculous abundance.

There’s never been a moment I’ve needed more than what was divinely given, yet in my sinfulness I still worry.

But a mark of the believer is one of trust in the face of the unknown. We must combat the temptation to fret over the details of our days with the truth of God’s Word.

Matthew 6 resonates with me because God–in His infinite knowing–pairs the issue of finances with the cure for anxiety. He knew my sweet sister would need encouragement in His provision for days like yesterday. He knew I would need encouragement in His provision during the year I searched for work and shelter.

There are days we won’t know where the finances for (fill in the blank) will come from … but we serve a God who promises to nourish and clothe us.

When the cents don’t add up and worry begins to surface, cling to the prescribed antidote for anxiety …

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” –Philippians 4:6

Anxiety is never from the Lord. After all, He’s the Prince of Peace and meets the deepest of our needs.

There’s infinite proof of that at the Cross.

Our deepest need isn’t food or shelter, but the forgiveness of our sins. He rained down an abundance of forgiveness through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

If we can trust Him to provide for our salvation, we have every reason to trust Him in providing our daily bread.