“That is why 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? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27 NLT)
Worry is a killer! The stress on our body brought about by anxiety is a billion-dollar industry for medicine alone, not to mention therapy and related costs. Why do we worry? Largely, I’m convinced, because we lose focus on Jesus.
How and why do we do that? Largely because we choose to live in a constant state of discontent. We won’t focus simply on the issues of today, we want to solve the problems of tomorrow, next week, and next month without certainty that any of what we fear COULD happen, ever will.
Do you ever wonder why God gave us time? Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc.? One of the challenges we face is disciplining ourselves to focus on what’s in front of us to do in this moment. We have a slow draining sink, so our mind goes into overdrive, not on a strategy to evaluate the problem, but to ponder all the what ifs!
Before long, in our mind, we’re spending thousands of dollars on replumbing the whole house, when in reality, it likely won’t cost anything to remove the trap, clean it and be done with the problem. It may be more but take it a step at a time.
We have a misunderstanding with our spouse, and we’re heading to divorce court! NO! Our first course of action must be immediately stopping to pray, to seek the Lord’s counsel as to where to go from here. Do we just need a “time-out” to regain our composure before we re-address the issue? Do we need outside help – a trusted believing friend, Pastor or Counselor? Maybe, but why not focus on what’s in front of you right now – getting calm and relaxed so you can allow your mind to work positively and proactively as you seek the Lord to help you focus on the real problem.
Dr. David Jeremiah gives sound advice when he writes: “But we can minimize anxiety. One of the greatest techniques of peaceful people is learning to go about today’s business while leaving tomorrow in God’s hands. As you focus on what God has placed in front of you today, the giant of worry about the future will fade! God will take care of today and tomorrow.” (See Turning Point Horrors! – 02-07-23)
What’s troubling you today? Why not pause right now and lift it to the Lord. I’ve found if I take the time and make the effort to pray first, many potentially troubling issues can be resolved very quickly. Most often our worry is compounded by borrowing from the future. Corrie Ten Boom reminds us: “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
What’s got you weighted down today? Please allow the Lord to lighten your load by helping you refocus on the largeness of His capacity to provide everything you need, exactly when you need it. If He doesn’t give it, we don’t need it.
Food for thought.
Blessings Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 