Overcoming Anxiety Through Scripture: Learning Discernment From Matthew 6
In the world of professional sports, success doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from deep awareness, intentional strategy, and a full understanding of both your team and your opponent. Coaches don’t only study their own players’ strengths and weaknesses; they pour over hours of footage to know everything about the opposing team as well.
They know who excels under pressure, who tends to crack, which matchups are favorable, and which formations are dangerous. Every detail is analyzed. Every play is scrutinized. Every movement is studied. In pro sports, there are no secrets—everyone is aware, prepared, and armed with information.
This analogy reminds us that we are engaged in a spiritual battle, making it essential to understand our enemy—both to guard against surprise attacks and to know how to respond when they occur. Just as professional teams study their opponents to avoid being caught off guard, believers must recognize that the enemy operates strategically and subtly.
Spiritual attacks are not always loud or dramatic; they often come through small compromises, inward whispers, or deceptive thoughts. When we understand the reality of the spiritual conflict around us, we become more alert, more guarded, and more prepared. Awareness is not fear—it is wisdom. It positions us to stand firm, resist deception, and walk in the victory Christ has already secured for us.
One common theme many people understand is the image of a good voice on one shoulder and a bad voice on the other, each whispering into your ears. While simple, it reflects a real spiritual truth: we are constantly being influenced—either toward God’s will or away from it. The enemy often works through subtle suggestions, tempting thoughts, or impulses that seem harmless at first. This is why we must learn to recognize who is whispering.
Discernment is the ability to distinguish between the voice that leads to life and the voice that leads to destruction. But discernment does not come from intuition alone; it is sharpened by Scripture. Being armed with God’s Word allows us to immediately counter the evil whispers with truth, just as Jesus did when He was tempted in the wilderness. Scripture exposes lies, redirects our thoughts, and equips us to silence the enemy’s influence before it gains ground in our hearts and minds.
First and foremost, we need to know who God is—His character, His voice, His truth, and His ways. A believer who understands God’s nature can more easily recognize when something contradicts it. But just as important, we must also have an understanding of who Satan is, along with his demons and the fallen angels. Not to glorify them, but to protect ourselves from being tricked by their schemes.
Scripture teaches that the enemy disguises himself as an angel of light, meaning his whispers often appear harmless, logical, or even spiritual. Sometimes the influence comes wrapped in what seems like responsibility, wisdom, or concern. Without discernment rooted in Scripture, these subtle suggestions can lead us off course. Knowing both the truth of God and the tactics of the enemy equips us to recognize deception early, reject it quickly, and remain anchored in the voice of our Shepherd.
One example of deceptive whispering is when thoughts of worrying about the future arise. These thoughts often come disguised as responsibility, caution, or wisdom. They may even feel like they are coming from God, urging you to be more careful or more prepared. But worry is not the same as responsibility, and anxiety is never the voice of God. When we are armed with Scripture, we can immediately discern the difference.
In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks directly to this issue in a section plainly titled “Do Not Worry.” He calls His followers to trust the Father’s provision rather than being consumed with anxious thoughts about tomorrow. This teaching exposes worry for what it truly is—an attack on our peace and a distraction from trusting God. Scripture cuts through the disguise, revealing that anxiety is not a godly prompting but a burden God never asked us to carry. Through His Word, we learn to silence those deceptive whispers and rest in the care of our heavenly Father.
Jesus gives clear and comforting instruction in Matthew 6 about the nature of worry and the heart of God toward His people. He teaches that we should not worry about food, clothing, or the future, because our Father already knows our needs. Jesus points to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field as living reminders of God’s daily provision: if God faithfully cares for them, how much more will He care for those made in His image?
He also reminds us that anxiety adds nothing to our lives—it cannot extend our time on earth or improve our circumstances. Instead of letting worry dominate our thoughts, Jesus calls us to seek God’s kingdom first, trusting that everything we truly need will be provided in His perfect timing. Finally, He urges us not to borrow tomorrow’s troubles, but to face today’s challenges with God’s help. This teaching frees us from the illusion that worry is productive and invites us to rest in the faithful care of our Father.
When Jesus says, “Do not worry about tomorrow,” He is reminding us not to carry problems that haven’t even happened yet. Most of our anxiety isn’t about what is taking place in the present moment—it’s about what might happen in the future. We create scenarios, imagine outcomes, and fear situations that may never come to pass.
Jesus calls us out of that way of thinking. He is saying not to live inside imagined futures that do not exist. When we allow our minds to dwell in those possibilities, worry begins to multiply pain we don’t even have yet, adding unnecessary weight to our hearts. By staying present and trusting God with tomorrow, we free ourselves from the burden of fictional troubles and learn to face today with clarity, peace, and faith.
Worry doesn’t just affect the mind and spirit—it also takes a significant toll on the body. Chronic anxiety creates a constant state of stress, which can trigger inflammation, disrupt hormones, and throw the body’s pH levels out of balance, often making it too acidic. Over time, this internal imbalance can weaken the immune system and contribute to the development of various diseases.
What begins as a mental burden can eventually manifest physically, affecting energy levels, sleep patterns, digestion, and overall wellbeing. Jesus’ command not to worry is not only a spiritual safeguard—it is also a protection for our physical health. God invites us to cast our anxieties on Him not just for peace of mind, but for the wholeness and stability of our entire being.
God gives strength for today, not for imaginary tomorrows. Throughout Scripture, He promises “daily bread,” not future bread stored up for every possible scenario we fear. His grace shows up in the moment we actually need it, not in advance for every hypothetical situation we imagine. This is why Jesus teaches us to focus on today—because today is where God’s grace is active.
When we project ourselves into future troubles, we step outside the place where God’s provision is currently operating. We feel overwhelmed not because God is insufficient, but because we are trying to live in a day we have not been given yet. Trusting God today allows us to experience His strength, His peace, and His presence right where we are, without borrowing the weight of tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s problems belong to tomorrow, and God will meet you there. The future will come with its own challenges, but just as God is with you today, He will be with you in every day that follows. You do not need tomorrow’s strength today because God provides what you need in the moment you need it.
When we try to handle future struggles before they arrive, we carry a burden God has not asked us to lift. Peace comes from trusting that God is already in our tomorrow, fully prepared to give guidance, strength, and provision exactly when the time comes. This trust allows us to rest today, knowing that the same God who sustains us now will sustain us then.
Worry doesn’t remove tomorrow’s problems; it removes today’s peace. No amount of anxious thinking can prevent or eliminate the challenges that may come in the future. Instead, worry drains your energy, clouds your clarity, and diminishes your hope in the present moment. Jesus is essentially saying that worry trades today’s peace for tomorrow’s trouble—and that is never a trade worth making.
Many of us have experienced this firsthand: you may be at a party surrounded by friends and family, with every reason to enjoy the moment, yet your mind is somewhere else. Instead of being present, you find yourself trapped in your own thoughts, haunted by fears of what might happen tomorrow. Worry robs you of joy and connection in the moments God has given you. When we choose trust over anxiety, we reclaim the peace, presence, and purpose that worry tries to steal.
When Jesus says, “Each day has enough trouble of its own,” He is teaching us to focus on the day we are actually living in. This means handling today’s responsibilities rather than getting overwhelmed by what hasn’t yet come. It means facing today’s challenges with the strength God provides right now. And it means trusting God with today’s needs, believing that He will supply what is required in this moment. Everything else—the concerns, the possibilities, the what-ifs—will be handled when they actually arrive, if they arrive at all. By staying rooted in today, we walk in the grace God gives us for the present and avoid wasting energy on a future we are not meant to carry yet.
In short, don’t stress about future problems. Handle what’s in front of you today. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges, and when it does, God will meet you there just as faithfully as He is helping you now. Trusting God with the future frees you to live fully and peacefully in the present, confident that the same God who sustains you today will sustain you tomorrow.
May this be a reminder to read the Scriptures on a daily basis. The red letters are the direct words of Jesus Christ, and within them you will find comfort, assurance, and guidance. His words show you not only what He promises to do for you, but also how you are called to live—becoming more Christ-like in your decisions, your thinking, and your responses to life’s pressures. When you stay close to Scripture, you stay close to His voice, and His voice brings clarity where confusion tries to enter. The next time you feel anxiety rising about tomorrow, you will be armed with Matthew 6:25–34. These verses will remind you of God’s provision, His faithfulness, and His call to trust Him in the present moment. By holding onto His Word, you equip yourself with truth that silences fear and strengthens your spirit for whatever comes next.