Harmful Worry
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“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
Excessive worry and panic about our daily needs puts us in the same class as Gentiles. Those who are afraid of the Apocalypse suffer especially from this kind of paganism. Does anyone think that he will store up, I do not know how much, food at home and save himself, while he will see others dying of hunger and will not give them anything to eat; and still think that he is a good Christian? May God protect us from such a delusion!
Fear arises from basing our security on the possession of many of the good things of this world, and not on faith in God and His proven care for us. Carefreeness and peace come from our many years of experience of God’s love and care for us.
The Christian labours for the bread for himself and his family with his own hands. It is normal to have some reserves at home of some things in case of accidents and emergencies, just like we have a first aid kit or a fire extinguisher in the car; and that is it. There is no fear, no unnecessary worry. If we spent the time in prayer instead of thinking and worrying about earthly things, we would live in a much more beautiful world. However, life in the countryside is more suitable for us than life in the city.
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
The commandment to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is a commandment for all Christians. It is a commandment to build a personal relationship with God from which no one is excluded. It is, in fact, a commandment for mind-and-heart prayer.
Some people put prayer in the category of one of God’s talents, so that some have received such a talent, and some have not, thereby they falsely appease their conscience. It is not so! God gives talents, for this or that, for the edification of His Church, and all of us should have the prayer. Without it, there is simply no way to build a personal relationship with God, and there is even no way to activate these talents at the required level. And let us not overlook the fact that the pursuit of purely human justice separates us from the Orthodox spiritual life.
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself; each day has enough evil of its own.”
How much this sentence reveals to us that we are all in a spiritual war with the forces of evil; and that this war is of such intensity that it does not allow us the luxury of thinking about tomorrow. If someone catches himself worrying about tomorrow, let him know that he has already lost today’s war. Anyone who has experience in the struggle of prayer knows what kind of war I am talking about.
“Is there a man among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him?”
Behold, at the end of today’s Gospel reading, is a consolation for us who are weak in faith; about how much our Heavenly Father cares for us. However, let us not forget the order of things: for ourselves personally, we seek only, and first and foremost the Kingdom of Heaven, and for others, we can seek according to their needs.
Metropolitan of Strumica, Nahum
08 / 06 / 2026
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All-night vigil in the monastery dedicated to Saint Leontius of Strumica and the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in Vodocha.
