“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your [work] life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? ²⁷ 

And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? ²⁸ And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, ²⁹ yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹ 

Do not worry [about work] then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you [at work].

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ^[1]

~Jesus (Matthew 6:25-34)

Why it matters: How many of us spend much of our time at work worried about how we are doing, anxious about our next promotion (or lack of it), and how our colleagues see us?

Jesus teaches His disciples that we are not to worry in our corporate life. Jesus encourages me to avoid worrying about my physical needs like clothing and food. Jesus assures me that my heavenly Father will take care of all my needs (Matthew 6:25-34).

• I have no need to worry about anything at work.
• This is tough for me some days.
• I am a worrier for sure.

In Philippians 4:6, Paul tells us, “Do not be anxious and do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

In this Scripture, we learn that we should bring all our needs and concerns about work to God in prayer rather than worry about them. We need to focus on being thankful for what we have. We need to focus on what God is doing now.

Worry — What causes it? Am I too Work-centered?

• Matthew 6:25  — “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life [at work], as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
• Matthew 6:34  — “So do not worry about tomorrow’s [to do list at work]; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
• Matthew 13:22  — “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
• Luke 12:29  — “And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.”
• Luke 21:34  — “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life [at work], and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:33  —But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

Good news: God cares deeply about our faith at work. God will show us the way to be at peace at work and not worry about every little thing like our colleagues do. God-confidence replaces self-confidence with a calm that others know nothing about. They will notice it in us. They will see the Jesus Way at work.

^[1] New American Standard Bible. (2020). (Mt 6:25–34). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.