*This is a transcript of today’s episode of The Royal Family Podcast. You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or simply search for it over at The Light Network.*

It’s a new month and I’ve decided to call it no-worry November. As members of God’s royal family, we are called to be different from the world. There are a host of ways that we do that. One way is by exhibiting love to one another. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Our love makes us different from the world. Another way that we are different is that we don’t grumble and complain like the rest of the world. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:14 that we are to “Do all things without complaining and disputing,” What I love, though, is that he went on in verse 15 to tell us why: “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” By not complaining like everyone else, we are shining our lights for our King.

Another way that we stand out from the crowd is by not worrying. There are so many, even God’s children!, who say that everybody worries. And it’s an excuse! We justify worrying by saying that everyone does it. Now, is worrying one of those things that a lot of people struggle with? Absolutely. But does everyone worry? Well, we shouldn’t.

Jesus admonished us in Matthew 6:25-33, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

So that’s a lengthy reading, but what’s the gist? Jesus is saying that worry shows a lack of faith. If we are truly seeking first the kingdom of God – if we are truly living lives according to His royal code – we won’t worry. We won’t be anxious about food or clothing or shelter, AKA basic needs. And if we aren’t to be worried about our NEEDS, then we definitely shouldn’t be worried about carnal, frivolous matters, should we? Not if we’re truly behaving as royals.

Paul wrote the prescription for not worrying in Philippians 4:6-7, where he said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

When you feel stressed, you have a royal privilege: talking to the King. Through Christ we can have our hearts guarded, and we can have a peace that comes directly from our Father. But to attain that peace – to tap into that invaluable resource – we have to be practicing royals. We have to be abiding in God and in His precepts (1 John 2:3-6), living our lives in a way that mimics the Prince of Peace.

Thanks be to God that we can have the privilege of prayer. Because we do, we can all have a no-worry November! When things get to us, like our weight/outward appearance or our finances or family troubles or outward trials like sickness, we don’t have to be anxious. We can alleviate our burden by casting our cares upon the One who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). If you want to have a no-worry November, make sure you are praying regularly and are abiding in the One who grants a peace that passes understanding.

*You can check out last year’s no-worry November post here. Feel free to give your list on twitter using the hashtag #noworrynovember.