"Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” - Matthew 6:34 ESV
Spending some time pondering Matthew 6:25-34 today. I used to worry and be anxious about many, many things, so this passage is very dear to my heart. God used these verses, especially verse 34, to help me to begin to let go of that worry and anxiety.
Three times in this passage, Jesus tells us, “Do not be anxious.” I think He understands what a big temptation it is to worry and fret about the future. And it is understandable from the world’s point of view. Everything has gotten a lot more expensive in the last year and my income doesn’t go as far as it used to. Jesus gets it. But notice that He calls us out specifically for worrying about our provision, what we’ll eat and what we’ll wear. But fretting about things I can’t control doesn’t do me any good. Worse, it shows that I’m not really trusting God to look out for me.
I need to always remember that my Father knows what I need. He knows this better than I do, as I can get mixed up and think that what I want and what I need are the same things. He will provide for my needs. Jesus gives us examples of beautiful wildflowers and the birds flying freely through the sky to illustrate how God cares for His creation. And I am much more valuable to God than these things. I am made in His image, and I am His daughter (Genesis 1:27, John 1:12-13). If He takes such good care of flowers and birds, of course He will take care of me.
So now when I begin to fret about what might happen tomorrow, I come back to these verses. I ask the Lord to help me focus on the next thing I need to deal with today and save tomorrow’s things for tomorrow. I can’t do anything about tomorrow until it gets here, and I don’t know what will happen between now and then. I will trust that God does and that He will show me what I need to do when I need to do it.
"Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
Think About: What do you need to trust God with today?
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