Luke 12. “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (12:25) Being anxious certainly will not add hours to your day, but it will definitely steal hours from your day! I have wasted time and energy being anxious and I wish I could rise above those thought patterns. In Luke 12 Jesus addresses several reasons for anxiety and shares key truths to help us combat it.

“Do not fear those who kill the body…” (12:4) Personally, I don’t have people trying to kill me, so I am tempted to skip over this part. But note Jesus’ reasoning – this body is temporary. If you phrase it like that, I certainly have concerns about my body falling apart, illnesses, aging, etc. that could be a distraction. While it is good, even biblical, to take care of our bodies and be healthy, we should be mindful that our current bodies are temporary, but the status of our souls is eternal.

Do not worry that God is distracted or ignoring you (implied in 12:6-7). God is paying attention. Even the sparrows, who seem to be everywhere and of no value, are not forgotten by God. Indeed, God knows the very hairs on our head! (Which I guess means He knows that my shower drain is clogged with hair? But I digress.)

“Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say…” (12:11) One of the features of anxiety is that it wants to drag you into a future that has not happened yet, to bog you down in imagined conversations that might happen, and to trap you there trying to imagine how you might respond. Jesus reminds us that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need, when we need them, therefore we should not waste our present time worrying about future situations (12:12).

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” (12:22) Jesus points to more birds as an example, the ravens this time (he really does know his birds!). God takes care of the creatures and provides for them. God also takes care of the beautiful flowers, the lilies, and arrays them in glory in the fields (12:27-28). Jesus says to look at how God cares for the details of nature and know that He will take care of you!

“One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (12:15). “Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.” (12:23). Jesus uses the parable of the rich fool (12:13-21) to remind us that possessions are temporary and that trying to stockpile them is not the way of God. Instead, we are to be generous to others (12:33) and to leverage what we have for the good of the kingdom of God.

We do not need to be anxious because our heavenly Father knows what we need and will provide for us (12:30). “Seek first the kingdom of God and these things will be added to you” (12:31). “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (12:32).

What makes you anxious? What does that reveal about your concerns and priorities? What truth in this chapter is most helpful? What do we learn about God by noticing the details of His care for creation? What do you need to talk to God about today? What stood out to you from Luke 12?