Matthew 6:31 (NASB)

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’

Bible Commentary

Matthew 6:31 is a Bible verse from the New Testament where Jesus is addressing our tendency to worry about money and our supply of tangible things.

Let’s look at what else Jesus says in Matthew 6:32-33, “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.”

Do you ever feel stressed out, overwhelmed? Do you struggle in your faith, wondering where the needed finances are going to come from? Or why you seem to always struggle with money or keeping a job?

Matthew 6:31 clearly tells us not to worry about our supply. Verse 32 goes on to tell us that God already knows what you need. So the question is this: If God knows, then why am I struggling? Why do things just not seem to go my way?

Your Faith Muscles

Sometimes it’s God stretching you, building your faith muscles. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

If God just immediately gave us everything we need, we would not need much faith. But God has plans for you–plans that will require much faith. Your life has a calling and God is growing you, making you ready for that purpose.

Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

God looks at the big picture. He is looking at our lives from a long-term perspective. We often only look at the immediate.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

We struggle with our finances because of where our focus is, or another way to say it is where our focus is not.

Focus First

Look again at Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.”

The problem is that we often seek everything else first, like Matthew 6:31 illustrates…and when we don’t get it by ourselves, then we turn to God.

The Bible says to seek God first…in everything we do. God didn’t create us just to turn to Him when we need something. He is not the great order-taker in the sky waiting for us to pull up and place our order. He created us to have a relationship with Him. He wants us to get to know Him personally.

In Revelation 3:20 He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

We make time for what we consider priorities. Matthew 6:20-21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Our priority should be living a life for God and giving Him the glory for everything He is doing. Not focusing on the needs we have, but instead trusting Him to bring that much needed supply.

Do It All For God

Look at 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Everything we do should be done with that mindset. The problem is that when challenges come, we get off track and our focus goes from our relationship with God to our challenges. So how do we make Him our priority? How do we build that relationship with Him?

It’s like any other relationship we have…spending quality time with Him!

4 Ways to Make God Our Priority

1. Prayer

It begins with Prayer. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God and listening to Him. It’s like conversations we have with those closest to us…our close friends, parents, siblings or spouse.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

2. Reading His Word

We get closer to God by reading His Word and letting Him talk to us. Romans 10:17says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

3. Praising God

We also get closer to God by praising Him. Giving Him the glory in the good and in the bad seasons of our life.

Psalm 100:4, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”

Hebrews 13:15, “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”

4. Meditating on God

Lastly, we get closer to God by getting alone and meditating on Him.

Psalm 119:15, “I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.”

Being a Christian doesn’t eliminate struggles and challenges, but it does give us peace-of-mind, knowing that we have a loving and caring God Who is looking out for us.

Matthew 6:32, “for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Matthew 6:8“…for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Study the Bible verse of Matthew 6:31, focus on God and watch Him take care of your needs.