Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. – Luke 12:22
Surveys have shown that America’s youth have become increasingly anxious and worried. Pew Research reported that the stresses adolescents feel include the pressures of doing well in school and fitting in socially. Though girls are more likely than boys to be concerned about their looks, around 20 percent of teens feel pressured to be involved in extracurricular activities or be good at sports.
While about half of them see drug addiction and alcohol consumption as a problem among people their age, fewer than 10 percent report feeling pressured to use drugs or drink alcohol. More than two-thirds of young people have concerns about their families having enough money for basic expenses.
So why are this nation’s youth so anxious? Perhaps that is what they see modeled in their homes or in society. But Jesus commands His followers not to worry. The life of a believer will have its problems and trials. This is part of God’s process to help Christians grow and depend upon Him while He promises to meet every real need.
Allow the Lord to free you from any anxiety caused by greed, covetousness, or unbelief. Cast off worry and give Him thanks and praise, remembering that the Creator of the universe loves you and will care for you. Pray also that America’s public officials choose to trust in Christ for their personal and public decisions.
Today’s Verse: Luke 12:22
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
