It’s Just A Thing

Whenever something comes up and I worry about something, my roommate tells me “it’s just a thing.” This really gets on my nerves at times, but then he will say, “It may be annoying but you can’t deny its truthfulness.” This is even more annoying. However, there is some truth behind this statement. He tells me that, while this is not a direct quote, he gets the idea of “a thing” from Dr. Who. The doctor often describes something super complicated as “a thing.”

In Matthew 6:25-32, Jesus says “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

In this passage, Jesus is telling us not to worry because “it’s just a thing.” It may seem more complicated to us, but to Him, it really is just a thing. We may not even be able to handle the things that we worry about, but Jesus can if we trust Him and give everything over to Him. Jesus also says that instead of worrying, we should “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God has already shown us that this is true with Solomon. Solomon could have asked for anything he wanted, but he asked for “a discerning heart” to govern God’s kingdom (1 Kings 3:9). Because Solomon was looking after God’s earthly kingdom and because he trusted God to take care of his every need, God gave Solomon wisdom and wealth, honor, and power. When we trust God to take care of our problems, we will not only have a solution, but we will be given much more.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7