Is Worrying a Sin?
Dr. Joshua Nichols
Introduction
Worry is one of the most universal human experiences. From the young mother lying awake at night concerned for her children, to the businessman fretting over finances, to the student anxious about the future, every one of us knows what it is to feel the weight of worry pressing down upon the heart. Some of us carry it quietly, hiding it behind smiles, while others live with it openly, as though anxiety were stitched into the fabric of daily life. And because worry feels so common, so ordinary, we might be tempted to believe it is harmless, just part of being human.
Yet Scripture speaks very differently about worry. Jesus does not treat it as a mild inconvenience but addresses it directly in His Sermon on the Mount: “Do not be worried about your life” (Matthew 6:25). The Apostle Paul echoes Him: “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). And the Apostle Peter urges us to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). These are not mere suggestions, they are commands. Which leads us to an important and sometimes unsettling question: if Jesus and His apostles command us not to worry, does that mean worrying is a sin?
This question can stir mixed emotions. For some, it produces guilt, “I already feel anxious enough, and now I’m told it’s sinful too?” For others, it sparks defensiveness, “But isn’t worrying just a sign that I care deeply?” As a pastor, I want to approach this question gently yet truthfully. The Bible does indeed show us that worry, at its root, is sinful, but not in the sense that we should despair. Instead, recognizing worry as sin is meant to drive us not into shame, but into the arms of the Savior who carries our burdens.
The good news is that Jesus doesn’t merely tell us not to worry, He shows us a better way. He points us to the Father’s faithful care, reminds us of our eternal hope, and gives us His peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). My aim in this article is not simply to label worry as wrong, but to help you see why worry dishonors God, how the Gospel gives us freedom from its grip, and how we can cultivate trust in the God who promises never to leave or forsake us.
So let’s walk together through this question, honestly, biblically, and pastorally, and discover how even in the face of life’s uncertainties, we can learn to replace worry with worship, and anxiety with abiding trust in Christ.
The Biblical Witness on Worry
When it comes to the subject of worry, Scripture is not silent. In fact, it addresses our anxious hearts with both remarkable clarity and remarkable tenderness. From the lips of Jesus to the pens of the apostles, the Bible consistently calls God’s people away from anxiety and into trust.
Jesus’ Words in the Sermon on the Mount
The clearest and most direct teaching comes from Jesus Himself in Matthew 6:25–34. After warning against storing up treasures on earth, He turns to the heart of the matter:
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v. 25)
Jesus’ command is not a vague encouragement, “try not to worry too much”, but a direct prohibition: “do not be worried.” He then illustrates the futility of worry with three simple but profound examples:
-
The Birds of the Air – They do not sow or reap, and yet the heavenly Father feeds them. If God cares for sparrows, will He not care for His children (v. 26)?
-
The Futility of Worry – “And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?” (v. 27). Worry accomplishes nothing but weariness.
-
The Lilies of the Field – They do not toil or spin, and yet they are clothed with splendor greater than Solomon’s. If God adorns grass that withers, how much more will He clothe His people (vv. 28–30)?
-
Jesus concludes with a twofold exhortation: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (vv. 33–34). In other words, the antidote to worry is not passivity but priority, placing God’s kingdom first, and trusting Him to provide what is needed.
Paul’s Pastoral Command
The Apostle Paul reinforces Jesus’ teaching in Philippians 4:6–7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s command is sweeping, “Do not be anxious about anything.” The word he uses for “anxious” (merimnaō) carries the sense of being pulled apart or divided in mind. Anxiety fractures our focus, pulling us in a thousand fearful directions. Paul’s remedy is not a vague optimism but a specific redirection: turn worry into prayer. Every anxious thought is an invitation to approach the throne of grace, to turn fear into supplication, and doubt into thanksgiving. And the promise? God Himself will surround our hearts and minds with His incomprehensible peace.
Peter’s Call to Cast Our Cares
The Apostle Peter offers another tender word in 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” The word “cast” is the same word used in Luke 19:35 when the disciples threw their cloaks onto the donkey for Jesus. It is a decisive, deliberate act of placing the weight of our burdens onto another. We are not called to carry the weight of tomorrow, we are called to place it on the shoulders of our Savior. And Peter grounds this in a precious truth: “because He cares for you.” Anxiety says, “I am alone.” Faith says, “My Father cares.”
The Old Testament Witness
Even before Christ’s earthly ministry, the Old Testament is filled with God’s call to trust rather than fear. Isaiah 41:10 promises: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Psalm 55:22 exhorts: “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”
From beginning to end, the witness of Scripture is unified: worry is not God’s will for His people. Instead, He calls us to trust in His character, rest in His promises, and seek His kingdom.
A Consistent Biblical Pattern
The pattern is clear. Jesus commands us not to worry. Paul instructs us not to be anxious. Peter tells us to cast our cares on God. The Psalms and Prophets echo the same refrain: “Do not fear… trust in the Lord.” Worry, then, is not a harmless quirk of personality, it is disobedience to God’s command and a denial of His faithful care. And yet, even in this, Scripture does not crush us with condemnation but invites us to freedom: freedom from the endless cycle of worry, and freedom to rest in the arms of a faithful Father.
Why Worry Is Sinful
At first glance, calling worry a “sin” might feel harsh. After all, anxiety is so common and often feels unavoidable. But if we listen carefully to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4, and Peter’s call in 1 Peter 5, it becomes clear: worry is not a neutral habit. It is, at its root, unbelief.
Worry as Distrust in God’s Care
When Jesus says, “O you of little faith!” (Matthew 6:30), He connects worry directly to faithlessness. Worry doubts God’s character and questions His promises. It whispers lies into our souls: “God is not really in control… God may not provide… God does not see or care.” In that sense, worry is not simply an emotional state, it is a theological statement. It declares, whether consciously or unconsciously, that we do not trust our Father to be who He says He is.
This is why worry is sinful: it treats the faithful God as unfaithful, the sovereign King as powerless, the loving Father as indifferent. Every time we choose worry over trust, we are essentially accusing God of neglect.
Worry as Idolatry of Control
Worry also reveals where our hearts are tempted toward idolatry. Most often, worry grows from a desire to control the uncontrollable. We want to guarantee our health, our safety, our finances, our children’s future, and when we cannot, we worry. But Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:27: “And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?” Worry is the futile attempt to play God.
At its core, worry says, “If I cannot control it, it will all fall apart.” But the truth is, you were never meant to control it. God is sovereign; we are not. When we worry, we take upon ourselves a burden that belongs only to Him, and in doing so, we turn control into an idol.
Worry as Forgetfulness of God’s Faithfulness
Another way worry is sinful is that it forgets God’s past faithfulness. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to remember. Israel was commanded to remember their deliverance from Egypt, to remember the Lord’s provision in the wilderness, to remember His covenant promises. Worry, however, is spiritual amnesia, it forgets yesterday’s mercies and assumes tomorrow’s will not come.
But Lamentations reminds us: “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23). Each day, God proves His care afresh. To worry is to live as though He has never been faithful before, and as though He will not be faithful again.
Worry as Rebellion Against Christ’s Lordship
Finally, worry is sinful because it refuses to rest under Christ’s Lordship. Jesus is not only Savior but Lord, ruler of heaven and earth. All authority belongs to Him (Matthew 28:18). To worry is, in practice, to live as though He is not on the throne. It is a form of rebellion, small though it may seem. Instead of surrendering, we resist. Instead of submitting, we clutch at control. Instead of trusting, we doubt.
A Word of Pastoral Care
Now, I must pause here. To call worry “sin” is not to crush the anxious heart under more guilt. Many of God’s people wrestle with worry deeply, even chronically. The point is not to shame you but to help you see worry for what it truly is: a spiritual enemy. If we name it only as “personality” or “tendency,” we will never fight it with the weapons God provides. But if we recognize that worry flows from unbelief, then we can confront it not with guilt but with grace.
The good news of the Gospel is this: Christ died not only for our obvious sins but also for our anxious unbelief. His grace covers our worry, His Spirit empowers us to trust, and His Word anchors us in His promises. Naming worry as sin should not lead us to despair, but to the cross, where every anxious heart can find forgiveness, freedom, and peace.
Why Worry Feels So Hard to Resist
If worry is sinful unbelief, why do we find ourselves so often falling into it, even when we know what Scripture says? The truth is that worry feels natural because it plays on some of the deepest fears and longings of the human heart. To resist worry is not easy, and to many of us, it feels nearly impossible at times.
The Uncertainty of Tomorrow
One reason worry grips us so tightly is the uncertainty of the future. We cannot see what tomorrow holds, and that lack of knowledge unsettles us. Will I still have my job? Will my health hold out? Will my children be safe? The unknown is a breeding ground for fear, and worry rushes in to fill the gaps where faith ought to stand.
But Scripture reminds us that while tomorrow is hidden from us, it is not hidden from God. Deuteronomy 29:29 declares, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever.” We are not meant to know all that lies ahead; we are meant to trust the One who does.
The Illusion of Control
Worry also thrives because of our longing for control. We imagine that if we think about something long enough, if we play out every scenario in our minds, we can somehow prevent disaster. Worry tricks us into believing it is productive. Yet Jesus exposes this lie in Matthew 6:27: “And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?” Worry cannot control tomorrow, it only robs today of its strength.
Still, surrendering control is difficult because it strikes at our pride. We want to be self-sufficient, capable of managing life on our own. But worry reminds us of our limits. It reveals that we are creatures, not the Creator.
The Weight of Responsibility
Many believers confuse worry with love or responsibility. A parent may say, “I can’t help but worry, it’s because I love my children so much.” A spouse might claim, “If I didn’t worry about our finances, who would?” But worry is not the same as wisdom. It is possible, and necessary, to care deeply without carrying fear. True love takes responsibility, but it does so with trust in God’s sovereignty, not with restless anxiety.
In fact, worry often masquerades as concern, but in reality, it is unbelief wearing a mask of love. Genuine responsibility acts in faith and diligence, but it does not torment itself with endless “what ifs.”
The Frailty of Our Flesh
We must also acknowledge the weakness of our humanity. Our fallen nature is prone to fear. Since the garden, when Adam and Eve hid from God in fear after their sin, humanity has lived in a world of anxiety. Even the most faithful saints of Scripture wrestled with worry and fear. David poured out his anxious cries in the Psalms (Psalm 55:4–5), and even Paul confessed to experiencing “conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
This should comfort us: struggling with worry does not make us faithless beyond hope. It makes us human. But our humanity is precisely why we need Christ’s redeeming grace and the Spirit’s renewing power.
Why We Cling to Worry
Perhaps most ironically, we often cling to worry because it feels familiar. Worry becomes a habit, almost a false friend. We tell ourselves, “If I stop worrying, it means I don’t care.” Or, “If I let go, something bad will happen.” But these are lies that keep us enslaved. Jesus came to set us free from this bondage. His words in John 14:27 are a direct invitation: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.”
A Pastoral Word
Beloved, the reason worry feels so hard to resist is because it feeds on our fears of the future, our hunger for control, our confusion about responsibility, and the frailty of our flesh. But knowing this is not meant to discourage you. It is meant to remind you of your need for the Savior who knows tomorrow, rules over all things, carries the burdens you cannot, and supplies grace for your weakness.
You will not overcome worry by sheer willpower. You will overcome it by learning, day by day, to turn your gaze from yourself to Christ, the faithful Shepherd who calls you not to carry the weight of tomorrow, but to trust Him today.
God’s Remedy for Worry
The Bible does not merely expose worry as sinful unbelief, it also provides a gracious remedy. Our God is not content simply to tell us, “Stop worrying.” Instead, He points us to Himself as the cure. He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14), and He offers us a way to exchange the heavy burden of anxiety for the light yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:28–30).
Here are several ways Scripture gives us God’s remedy for worry.
1. Remember God’s Sovereignty
The first step in resisting worry is remembering who God is. Anxiety grows when we forget God’s sovereignty and imagine the world spinning out of control. But Scripture assures us that nothing is outside His rule: “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from His will (Matthew 10:29).
When we remind ourselves of God’s sovereignty, we see that the future does not rest in our fragile hands but in His almighty ones. Worry shrinks when we look at the greatness of our God.
2. Replace Worry with Prayer
Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:6 is both clear and practical: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” The key word here is replace. We cannot simply will worry away; we must redirect it. Every anxious thought is an opportunity to pray.
When your mind begins to spiral with “what ifs,” turn them into prayers: “Lord, I am afraid of losing my job, but I trust that You are my provider. I am worried for my child, but I entrust them into Your hands. I am anxious about tomorrow, but I know You hold tomorrow.” This act of prayer shifts the weight from our shoulders to His.
And Paul promises that when we do this, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). This is not the removal of trouble but the addition of peace.
3. Seek First the Kingdom
Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 6:33 is the great reorientation of the anxious heart: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” Worry often grows because we seek first earthly security, comfort, or provision. But when we seek God’s kingdom first, His glory, His righteousness, His purposes, our perspective changes.
This does not mean that food, clothing, or finances are unimportant, but it means they are not ultimate. Our Father knows we need them (Matthew 6:32), and He delights to provide. When His kingdom is our first priority, we can rest in His promise to supply the rest.
4. Live One Day at a Time
Jesus concluded His teaching on worry with this simple but profound truth: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). Worry thrives when we try to live in tomorrow before it arrives. We borrow tomorrow’s troubles without yet receiving tomorrow’s grace.
God does not give strength for future trials ahead of time, He gives daily bread (Matthew 6:11), daily mercies (Lamentations 3:22–23), and daily grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). The call, then, is not to figure out the next month or year, but to trust God for today. Tomorrow’s grace will meet tomorrow’s needs.
5. Cast Your Cares on Christ
Peter’s words in 1 Peter 5:7 are perhaps the most tender of all: “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Notice the word all. Not some anxieties, not only the “big” ones, but all. The nagging fears, the fleeting worries, the heavy burdens, all of them belong at the feet of Christ.
And the reason we can do this is not simply because He is sovereign but because He is compassionate: “He cares for you.” Worry says, “I am alone in this.” Faith says, “My Father cares for me.”
6. Fix Your Eyes on Christ
Finally, the greatest remedy for worry is the person of Jesus Christ Himself. He is the Good Shepherd who leads us beside still waters (Psalm 23:2), the Bread of Life who sustains us (John 6:35), the Prince of Peace who calms our hearts (Isaiah 9:6). To fight worry is to fix our eyes on Him, to look beyond the storm to the Savior who says, “Take courage; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).
A Pastoral Word
Beloved, God does not promise us a life free from trouble. But He does promise His presence, His peace, and His provision in the midst of it. The remedy for worry is not found in self-help strategies or positive thinking. It is found in a Person, Jesus Christ. Each day, He invites us to exchange the heavy burden of anxiety for the light burden of His grace.
So when worry rises, let it be the alarm bell that drives you to prayer, the reminder to seek His kingdom, the call to live one day at a time, and the invitation to cast your burdens onto the One who cares for you.
Pastoral Encouragement
Beloved, if you struggle with worry, know this: you are not alone. Anxiety is one of the most common battles of the Christian life. From the Psalms to the prophets, from the disciples to the apostles, God’s people have always wrestled with fear. David cried out, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). Paul admitted to facing “fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5). Even the faithful are not free from anxious thoughts.
So do not despair when worry rises in your heart. Do not assume that your weakness makes you unworthy of Christ’s love. The very opposite is true. Jesus did not come for the self-sufficient but for the weary, the burdened, the fearful. His invitation is for you: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
When worry tells you that you are alone, remember that the Lord is near. When worry says the future is dark, remember that God holds tomorrow in His hands. When worry whispers that you cannot endure, remember that His grace is sufficient for you, and His power is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Do not try to fight anxiety in your own strength. Instead, run to the cross. There, Christ bore not only your guilt but also your fears. There, He proved once and for all that you are safe in the Father’s love. There, He secured for you an eternal hope that no earthly trial can shake.
And remember, God’s peace is not the absence of trouble but His presence in the midst of it. The peace He offers is not fragile or fleeting; it is His own peace, the peace of Christ, which surpasses all comprehension and guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).
So take courage. The road may be hard, but you do not walk it alone. You have a Shepherd who carries His sheep, a Father who never forsakes His children, and a Savior who is faithful even when our faith is small. Worry may rise, but Christ is greater. Anxiety may return, but His mercies are new every morning. And as you cast your cares on Him again and again, you will find what He promised is true: His yoke is easy, His burden is light, and His love never fails.
Conclusion
Worry is one of the most ordinary struggles of life, yet Scripture shows us that it is not God’s will for His people. Jesus commands us not to worry, Paul exhorts us to replace anxiety with prayer, and Peter urges us to cast our cares on the Lord. Worry, at its root, is unbelief, doubting God’s care, resisting His sovereignty, and forgetting His faithfulness. But though worry is sinful, it is not hopeless. For every anxious thought, there is a greater Savior.
God’s remedy is Himself. He calls us to remember His sovereignty, to pray with thanksgiving, to seek first His kingdom, to live one day at a time, and to cast our burdens on Christ who cares for us. His promise is not the absence of trouble but the presence of peace, the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds.
Beloved, if you are in Christ, you are not left to battle worry alone. The same Jesus who calmed the storm with a word, who carried the cross in obedience to the Father, and who rose victorious over sin and death is with you still. His Spirit dwells within you, His Word steadies you, and His love holds you fast.
But if you have never placed your trust in Christ, let me speak directly to you: worry will always haunt you apart from Him, because apart from Christ, you carry the weight of your life and your eternity, on your own shoulders. But God, in His mercy, has made a way. He sent His Son, Jesus, to bear not only your guilt but also your fears, to die for your sins on the cross, and to rise again to give you eternal life. He now offers you true peace, the kind the world cannot give.
Jesus invites you even now: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). If you turn from your sin, trust in Christ alone as Savior and Lord, you will be forgiven, reconciled to God, and given a hope that no worry can steal away.
So whether you are a believer learning to fight worry with faith, or one who has not yet trusted Christ, the call is the same: run to Him. Lay your burdens at His feet. Trust Him with your tomorrows. Rest in His unshakable love. For in Christ alone is peace—peace for today, peace for tomorrow, and peace for eternity.
You can purchase my book "From Worry to Worship" here:
