How to resolve worry and tension

When God says something to you three times through three different people, in the same week - it's important to listen!

What He has been saying to me is: you seek Me and My Kingdom first, then all other the other things you are worried about will be taken care of. (adapted from Matthew 6:33)

How does one seek God? In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs us. First, I must establish if I am truly a disciple of Jesus Christ. In verse 24 of Matthew 6, Jesus tells His disciples that they cannot serve two masters. I must make a decision which master I am going to serve. Jesus Christ or the the things and cares of this world. If I choose to constantly focus on and run after the things of this world, then, according to Jesus in verse 32 of Matthew 6, I am a Gentile (or a non-believer)! One of the speakers mentioned above said "Decision resolves tension." Another one of those three people said that the word anxiety means to have a divided heart about something. I must decide this day if I am completely surrendered to Him and His will.

In verse 7 of Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples not to use meaningless repetition in prayer like the Gentiles (or non-believers) do because His Father already knows what we need. Another one of the three people mentioned above said that after we lay our requests before God, we should thank Him for the answers that He has already set in motion. And we are to continue to thank Him for the answers that are on their way, because if we keep stating the same concerns over and over, we live in a state of tension. I agree!

So, I've made a decision to surrender my will and allow God's will to be done in my life. I've also decided to be thankful in my prayer life. Now only one thing is left. I must follow Jesus' example of doing the will of the Father. In Matthew 7:21 Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." When we are doing His will, all the other things will fall into place. In John 7:17 Jesus says: "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."  In other words, worry and tension will be resolved. Amen.