Don't Worry?

The Greek word in our story for “anxious” does not mean the same thing as the medical condition we know as “anxiety.” Modern people like us can read the word “anxious” and think of a debilitation physical and psychological state of apprehension of a real or imagined threat. That’s not what Jesus is talking about here, so rest in knowing that Jesus still welcomes you and loves you, even if you struggle with anxiety. The Greek word for “anxious” has more to do with our human habit of relying on something other than God for what we need, and our preference to fret, stew, plan, and ponder for ourselves, because it’s hard to hope in Jesus when we know he might not give us what we want.