When “Do Not Worry!” isn’t Harmful but Helpful

Jesus tells—commands us—not to worry.

But this isn’t about attacking our emotions.
But attaching to God.

This command isn’t about changing how we feel. 
It’s about changing our perspective. 

This command isn’t about denying our emotions. 
It’s about shifting how we see and what we seek.

This shift comes from looking down, up, and around. 

Read Luke 12:22-32. 

Looking Down

Jesus tells us to look down at God’s creation. Look at the birds. Look at the fields.  The birds get what they need without storing any food. And the fields are made beautiful without working or worrying.

Looking down reminds us that God has made a world full of bounty and blessing.  God cares for all of his creatures, us included.

Looking Up

And Jesus tells us to look up at our Father in heaven.  We mean so much more to the Father, we are so much more valuable to God, than the birds and the fields.  In facts, our Father already knows and understands our needs.

Looking up reminds us that God is already looking down, already sees us and our needs.  

Looking Around

Finally Jesus tells look around at those who don’t know about the heavenly Father (the pagan nations, the Gentiles who weren’t Jews at that time).  These people don’t know the promises, the loving-kindness, the enduring faithfulness the Father shows to his people.  The nations strive after all these things because they not attached to God.

Looking around reminds us that those without a loving Father seeking and striving after all these things.  But it should not be so with us who know and love the Father who knows and loves us. 

Seeking the Kingdom of Attachment

Jesus ends by telling us to seek first the kingdom of the Father, the kingdom of secure attachment. Abundant life is found in God’s kingdom, where we are securely attached to our Father in heaven.  

And, then, from our attachment to God, will flow all the other things we need.

So let us shift our perspective, let us look to the Father who is looking down on us, and let this cause our worry to slip away. 

For where your attachment is, there your love will be also.  

(This is a new kind of post for me as I connect attachment research and spiritual formation. Please let me know what you think)

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