Three times in Matthew 6 the Savior urges us to “take no thought”. The Greek word from which this is translated literally means “divided”. This makes perfect sense because the 3 verses leading up to the first admonition to take no thought or be not divided are “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:22-24). In fact, this entire chapter is all about not allowing ourselves to become divided and distracted from giving the Lord our 100% undivided attention. The first and great commandment is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our strength, and all of our understanding. When we take hold of any of the many thousands of thoughts that race through our minds and hearts on a daily basis, we are causing ourselves to be divided. We no longer have our eye single to the glory of God and if we are not careful, we will find ourselves full of darkness rather than light. When we pray, if part of us is divided thinking about whether or not we are praying the right way or how this will look to others, then we won't be able to receive the unobstructed flow of light and truth and comfort from our Heavenly Father. If we are divided in serving and giving alms, then neither we nor those we are trying to help will get the fullness of the blessings that might have been poured out had we served with full purpose of heart. Most of the thoughts that would love to enter into our hearts and minds, especially doubts, fears, lusts, resentments, vanities and the like, all have no practical outlet or means of release or expulsion. Rather they insinuate themselves and fester and multiply and choke out any light or faith or certainty that we might otherwise have possessed until we truly do become full of darkness and how great is that darkness. But if we have become so divided, then we need only to seek out the Lord His word which is quick and powerful, to the dividing asunder of all of the dividing thoughts that have taken root inside of us. When we walk by faith and keep our eyes fixed on the source of all goodness, then no worries or anxieties or doubts or fears will be able to divide or distract us.
