“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:27 NKJV).

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discussed the sinful and wasteful human activity of worry. Clearly, worry is sinful because it is an expression of anxious doubting. And doubt is the opposite of faith. Three times in this sermon, Jesus said, “Do not worry.” Now, if He had said it once, it would be enough, but He said it three times! Worry isn’t just a bad habit. It’s a sin. Not only that, it’s useless. Worry is a wasted activity. Jesus asked if anyone could cause their body to grow “one cubit” (about 18 inches) by worrying. Of course, this is a ridiculous question. Worry doesn’t work, it doesn’t accomplish anything. It certainly can’t cause growth of even one inch, much less, “one cubit.” So, what can we do? Jesus said to “seek first” God’s kingdom and let the Lord care for you. In other words, give your worries to God, turn them into prayers. As the apostle Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Phil. 4:6 NLT).