But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. (Mat 6:33) AMPC
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matt 6:33) NLT
It’s common to feel concerned and anxious about the basic necessities of life like food, water, and clothing. You might wake up every day wondering what you’re going to wear or what you’re going to eat for breakfast. Some people are fortunate enough to have too many choices, while others struggle to get by with limited resources. However, according to Jesus, we shouldn’t worry (be anxious) about these things. He said, “…I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25, NLT)
The context of this discussion is about being worried or anxious regarding the basic necessities of life, which are important and genuine concerns. However, Jesus teaches us that our life (soul) is more important than material possessions such as food, drink, and clothes. He wants us to prioritize our souls above all other things. Jesus is not suggesting that we don’t take care of our needs, but rather, we should not be anxious about them. He emphasises that the most important thing we should be concerned about is the state of our souls.
At the beginning of his ministry on earth, Jesus was teaching his disciples the most crucial aspects of the New Testament faith. These teachings are known as the Beatitudes or the blessedness, and they outline the attitudes that a follower of Jesus Christ should possess. I like to refer to these teachings as God’s kingdom life principles. One may wonder why Jesus started with these blessed attitudes. The answer is that any citizen of God’s kingdom must have a change of mindset. In Matthew 4:17, we see Jesus’ first sermon topic: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven (or the kingdom of God) is at hand (or near).” In other words, “Change your mindset because the kingdom of God is within your reach.” To enter the kingdom of God, one must have a transformed mindset. To achieve this, one must be born again (John 3:3). The mindset of the kingdom of God is completely different from the mindset of the world, and it is important for us to understand this difference. Ask yourself, what occupies your heart most of the time? Do you spend more time thinking about advancing the Kingdom of God, or do you just go with the flow of the day without any deliberate thoughts towards His Kingdom? God wants us to focus on Him, and He will take care of our needs. Instead of getting worried and anxious about your needs, why not turn to God in prayer about them?
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) NLT