Matthew 6:25–34 [NLT] BIG IDEA Worshipping the idol of control results in life-damaging anxiety fueled by a lack of trust in God. Matthew 6:25 (NLT) That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Matthew 6:30 (NLT) And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? Matthew 6:31–32 (NLT) So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:34 (NLT) So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. The control idol reveals itself with worry, anxiety & . Worry anxiety and anger grows from believing we must control & hold our lives together—as if God cannot. These are the antithesis of trust and demonstrate a “failure to grasp the character of God as our heavenly Father.” ~ D.A. Carson The character of God: 1. God’s – He rules all things well with infinite wisdom. 2. God’s care– He loves His children with perfectly tender providence. 3. God’s – He cannot, by nature, deal too harshly with His own. 4. God’s – He knows exactly what’s best for us better than we do. 5. God’s – He can’t ever break His promises. Never. When my control idol is blocked, I get angry. When I trust God’s control, I get . How can I be sure that God really can be trusted ? Romans 8:32 (NLT) Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? What Now? Expose the idol of control & see the damage of worshipping control. Trust the Father’s care. Pray first. Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Continuing The Conversation 1. Where in your life do you feel the strongest need to “hold things together”? 2. Jesus says our Father knows our needs before we ask (Matt. 6:32). a. What keeps us from resting in His care, and what practices help you remember His fatherly love when you start to worry? 3. Some idols of control are obvious (money, health), while others are subtle (time, reputation, people’s approval). a. Which “hidden controls” do you tend to cling to, and what does it reveal about your heart? 4. Philippians 4:6–7 tells us to pray instead of worry. a. What might it look like for you, in real life, to turn one anxious thought this week into a prayer of surrender?