Pastor's
Pen
by Buzz Dahlen "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 I think I heard it said once of people, that they spend 90% of their time worrying about things they have no control over. If you stop and think about the things that you worry about, I think you might agree, unless the percentage is closer to 100%. There are so many things that we worry about that are God’s responsibility. If we could just let go of the notion that our worrying about it will change anything, we would worry far less, (if at all). Where does worrying come from? It comes of a human need to feel like we are in control. Man feels that if I worry about it, something might change. If I worry about it, I maintain some hold on it. If I worry about it, I at least look like I care. Oh, if I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, “Don’t you care, aren’t you worried about it?” Jesus spoke to the futility of worrying when he said, Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Worrying changes nothing, except our ability to trust God and reap the benefits of trusting God. God is in control; therefore, we do not have to worry about anything. We are free to trust God and watch Him provide for all of our needs. You may be going through something, some sort of hard time. It could be financial in nature. It could be relational. You may be unemployed, going through a divorce, have some sort of illness, maybe cancer and your tomorrow seems so uncertain. I promise you that worrying will not change it, other then get in the way of you hearing what God wants you to do. Am I advocating that you sit around and do nothing? By no means! God wants you to step out in faith, seek Him and His will and then take the action that He wants you to take. So often, we get caught up worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow we miss out on all that God has provided for us today. My encouragement to you is to let go of the notion that you have any control over what is happening in your life. Stop worrying about what might happen if… and start thanking God for all that He has done and is doing in your life today. Seek Him, His kingdom and His righteousness and you will see Him provide all of the things you need. Don’t worry about tomorrow, stay in today and watch what God will do. We have a God who can move mountains, calm the storms, multiply the loaves and fishes, heal the sick and even raise the dead. If you have God, you have nothing to worry about. |
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