Do not
worry about tomorrow. Matthew 6:34
A follower of Christ can find a lot to worry about these daysthe moral degeneration
of society, the stock market, anti-Christian sentiment, Middle East turmoil, anthrax
scares, and on and on. Often we are troubled about what could happen in the future, or we
spend way too much time dwelling on the past. Our minds whirl and emotions rise because of
some sin we committed or a sad event that occurred years ago.
Because we can neither change the past nor manipulate the future, we are peaceless in
Pittsburgh, fretful in Fresno, or worried in Washington. How fruitless! How wasteful!
Author Jean-Pierre de Caussade said that every day we can experience the peace of God when
we stop stewing about what might be or what might have been and focus on what is. He
wrote, "It is necessary to be disengaged from all we feel and do, in order to walk
with God in the duty of the present moment. . . . Each moment imposes a virtuous
obligation on us which committed souls faithfully obey."
But how can we walk with the Lord and experience His peace when we're paralyzed with worry
about the past or the future? We can't! No wonder Jesus told us, "Do not worry"
(Matthew 6:34).
-DCE
The past with its sin is forgiven,
The future's secure in God's hands;
To fret about either is pointless
And keeps us from His clear commands.
-DCE
Worry is like a rocking chairit will give you something to do, but it won't get
you anywhere.