Two-minute read.
Ron and I hosted our first connection group for our church. In the days leading up to the first meeting, we tried to prepare well. Planning the menu, we chose something adult- and kid-friendly. The day before, we cleaned the entire house and made sure we had everything we needed. Once we texted the final details, we felt ready.
And things went well. All the preparations paid off. But the one thing we didn’t think about caused the problem. We have a black trash can that we use for dog food. The bottom has a foot that came off, leaving a small, exposed metal bar. When one of the kids started crying, it didn’t take long to find the culprit. Thankfully, the minor injury didn’t take long to overcome. But it never fails: what we worry about never comes to fruition, and the one thing we never think of does.
Jesus addressed worry. People worried about food and clothing, the things needed for tomorrow. First, the Savior reminds His audience about creation. God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers. If He cares for them, how much more will He care for His children? (Matthew 6:26-30).
Then Christ tells His followers what they should do to combat worry:
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Matthew 6:33
When we seek God above all else and strive to live for Him, He will give us everything we need. The Lord holds tomorrow in His hands; we don’t have to live tomorrow today. Worrying about what might happen in the future takes us out of the present.
In the now, we find God.
Jesus doesn’t mean we should live carelessly and irresponsibly. We shouldn’t ignore legitimate preparation. Ron and I should prepare for our group. Planning comes from wisdom. But we shouldn’t let anxiety steal today’s peace because of our desire to control tomorrow. Spending emotional energy on what might happen makes us miss out on the now and the blessing of the moment.
God gives us grace for today.
We don’t need tomorrow’s grace now.
When tomorrow arrives, God will meet us there.
Journal Questions:
- What are you worrying about right now that you need to surrender to God and leave in His hands?
- How would your day look different if you focused on today instead of trying to figure out tomorrow?
- What is one practical step you can take today to trust God more fully with your future?
Application:
When your mind starts to wander to tomorrow, pray, “Jesus, help me stay present with You today.”
