Rooted in God's work: The guide for living anxiety-free.

How knowing your worth and overcoming the doubt can help you grow in your faith with the Lord.

I want to tell three stories real quick of two men and a woman who after all the adversity and doubt served the Lord faithfully.

Part 1:

In the Bible, Moses felt inadequate when God called him to lead His people out of Egypt. He doubted his speaking ability and worthiness for the task. However, God reminded Moses of his identity as His chosen leader. Through trusting in God, Moses was transformed from a hesitant individual to a courageous leader. This story illustrates how knowing our worth in God helps us overcome our self-doubt and step boldly into our calling.

Part 2:

Consider David, who faced doubt as the youngest son and shepherd. When he stepped onto the battlefield against Goliath, he wasn’t just a boy; he was God's anointed king, deeply aware of his worth. He overcame fears, relying on God's strength. This biblical narrative illustrates that understanding our true identity and worth can catalyze tremendous growth in faith, transforming doubts into victories for the kingdom.

Part 3:

In the story of Esther, we see a young woman who was initially fearful and filled with doubt about speaking up for her people. However, her cousin Mordecai reminded her that she was in her position 'for such a time as this.' This revelation of worth gave Esther the courage to act. This biblical account illustrates that understanding our purpose and identity in the eyes of God empowers us to face our fears and grow in our faith with confidence.

Verses used:

Matthew 6:25–26 ““Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?”

Matthew 10:37 “The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Matthew 10:13 “and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.”

2 Corinthians 3:4 “Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God.”

Let us pray:

Introduction:

Have you ever felt not good enough? Like you seem to always fail or come up short. As Christians we all have a moment when we feel like we don’t live up to what the word says. We struggle to find out who we are through Christ and often wonder if we are worthy to be called to serve him.

There is a solution to this feeling and it isn’t looking up to the celebrities or trying to change to fit in. The true answer to how we can be more confident lies within the gospels.

God’s Care and Plan for You.

(Matthew 6:25-26)

Matthew 6:25–26 ““Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?”

God has a plan for us and these plans can range from something so simple to life changing events. He has the future for us planned down to the very finest detail. We are so often troubled by the words people say and how they treat us, we start to believe that we are good enough or worry of love. Jesus shows through the gospels that we are loved and cherished. His sacrifice showed that we are loved far beyond what we can imagine.

The moral of the Matthew 6:25-26 is to show that we are more worthy and cherished than even the birds of the sky. We are to not worry about anything. As it states that shouldn’t worry about the food, water, or clothing because God blesses us with all of this. There is nothing in which God doesn’t provide for us. Instead of worrying about the things of the world, we should still call upon the name of the Lord who makes all things new. The one who created all things.

God knows our struggles and the things in which we hold on to, he knows when we are in the lowest point of our lives. He knows when we felt like giving up or when we felt our faith slip away. He knew the burdens of life before we were conceived, and his plan for us is written in the story of our lives.

Prioritizing God in Our Lives

(Matthew 10:37 “The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” )

Jesus calls us to love him above all else. This means to sacrifice the things of the world to follow him. We are to fix our eyes upon the Lord and care not about what others tell us but what the Lord tells us.

Learning how to prioritize the Lord in our lives can and will help us learn how to live apart from the ways of the world. The Lord’s purpose for us can often get clouded by the world around us and what everyone else is doing.

God’s love for us is more than enough, he doesn’t reject us because we have sinned or have flaws. He calls us his children and wants us to focus on him. Making him the priority always. We can get caught up on how the world runs but lose the Lord. There is always a price to pay and as Christians it is our duty to know the cost and focus on the very man who paid this cost.

Finding Refuge and Confidence in God

(Matthew 10:13; 2 Corinthians 3:4)

Jesus instructs to find peace and refuge in the places where God’s peace is present. Jesus often times when in silence to pray, he connected with God without all the distractions around him. I believe we all have moments in which our faith flourishes and we turn out the world. Then there are moments in which we turn out the Lord for the world. This is very easy to do and before we know it then we have been led astray.

Paul reminds us that our confidence is not in ourselves but in God who makes us competent. We are all human, we stumble and fall. We have good days and we have bad days. This is normal and we alone do not have the strength to overcome things but as said in Philippians 4:13 “I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” This is not a matter of physical strength but spiritual and we cannot overcome things without the Lord.

In John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This shows us the in the beginning God was the word and he has never left. Understanding our self-worth is based on God’s empowerment, not of the approval of this world. Days will come when all of this will become clear and days will come that we cannot understand this. That’s where faith comes in, to rescue us from the uncertainty.

Application: Living with Faith and Confidence

We have a calling and this requires the faith of a mustard seed. We are to encourage trusting God’s plan, even when we are uncertain.

Practice daily surrender of worries to God as in Matthew 6

Cultivate love for God above all else.

Lean on God’s empowerment rather than self-effort for confidence.

Conclusion:

Thank you for listening, I pray this finds you well and that the topics of this sermon help you mend any uncertainty in your faith. I invite you to spend time with the Lord and reflect on the aspects of your life that have been torn by the world around you. We are chosen for a greater purpose, as in John 13:7 “Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”” states. We may not understand his work right now but he is working for all of us. He gives us power to rise about the valley to the mountain tops. You are priceless, beautiful, wonderfully made, and cherished. Do not focus on the world around you but focus on the Lord.

(For the youth group only)

(any questions or comments?)

Let us pray: