Three days ago, I journaled these exact words (regarding a certain situation):...I am going to choose to not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. I need the power of Your Spirit to do that...I know I can't just will myself into it. Lord, I hear you calling me to just live in today. I hear that. To simply seek Your purposes for today. Worrying is both debilitating and shows a lack of trust in You...show me how you want me to live in today...
I've been having to constantly remind myself of this over the past 3 days. So HCC is reading the New Testament as a church in 2009. Today's reading (for me...I'm a couple of days behind) was Matthew 6. And what is in Matthew 6? Well nothing but the "Do Not Worry" passage (verses 25-34). Coincidence? I think not... Anyway, it got me thinking more...
I don't think I would say that my life is characterized by worry. Now don't get me wrong...I definitely struggle with it at times. But my main problem is just not living in today. I so often catch myself living in the future. I live in my dreams and my plans and yes, my fears...but then I end up missing out on today.
When I was in high school, I would catch myself getting so wrapped up in concern about college. Then when I was in college, I got myself all wrapped up in what I was going to "do with the rest of my life" (whatever that even means). I seriously remember thinking about how once I'm able to get a "normal" job and be out in the real world, I would just be more settled and wouldn't have to worry about the future as much. HA! And today I get wrapped up in what's going to happen tomorrow or next week or next month...
I'm starting to wake up to the fact that there really is always a tomorrow! Well...there's not always a tomorrow, but there's always a tomorrow to worry about. Not rocket science, I know...but what I'm trying to say is that if we don't check ourselves, we could end up 80 years old realizing that the vast majority of our lives was spent living in the future and all of those "tomorrows" turned into "todays" but since we never lived in "today", we never really lived! Does this make any sense at all?
Anyway, I love how Matt: 6:34 talks about how tomorrow will worry about itself. Worrying about tomorrow is A. pointless (because it sure isn't going to change anything!) B. debilitating (because you end up missing out on what you're supposed to do today) and C. shows a lack of trust that He is in control and He is at work and He is for your good...no, not just for your good, but for your best.
So I'm over it...I'm over living in tomorrow. And of course I'm not saying it's a bad thing to plan or dream of the future and all that...but are we fully present today? Could we be missing out on what God wants to do in us today because we're so wrapped up in "what is to come"? That's what I'm praying against...that would be a tragedy. The future is not lying ahead of us...it's lying within us. And whatever we do today is going to affect tomorrow. Lord, help us to seek Your plans and your purposes for right now...for this very minute. Tomorrow will worry about itself...
1 comment:
Hey Melanie! You always have such great perspective on things. Todd and I are reading this Max Lucado book right now called "In the Grip of Grace." At one point he says that the words "do no fear" are said more than any other words by Jesus. That really hit home to me because I tend to fear everything, worry about everything and doubt a lot. And that's exactly the opposite of what He wants us to do. Hear's to not worrying :)
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