living free from concern

1 Corinthians 7:32–35 (NIV) — 32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

I would like you to be free from concern. … I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. Paul talks about being free from concern that we might live in undivided devotion to the Lord.

Besides marriage, what other concerns of this world might divide our devotion? Perhaps other family members? Work? Finances? Health? What things of this world most concern you?

Thinking about those concerns of this world that most occupy you, can you imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have those concerns? Would you be able to be devoted to Christ more closely?

Some of these concerns can’t be avoided (family, health, finances). How can you learn to not focus on them so much? How can you learn to live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned (7:17)?

Some things that concern one person and create divided devotion might have the opposite effect on another. For one person marriage divides his attention. For another person their spouse is a help, allowing them to focus more on following Christ.

“Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.” (1 Corinthians 7:17, NIV)