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?
…
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 6:25,32-34
One of the most freeing concepts Jesus offers us, in my mind, is the concept of living in today. Not zooming ahead to tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, 10 years from now… but just focusing on living in this moment today and trusting God for our needs today, then leaving tomorrow in His capable hands.
Of course I believe we are to be godly stewards and to be responsible with what God has given us. I don’t believe it would honor God for us to blow all our money on today and make no financial plan for tomorrow at all… but my faith is not in my finances. My faith is ultimately in Jesus Christ.
I don’t know what will happen later today – much less 5 years from now. Only God knows the future. And He knows how to get me to the place where He wants me to be. I don’t know the way! He will give me the light I need today for my steps today.
WORRY AND ANXIETY
I used to worry constantly. Back when I trusted myself instead of God. I was all the time trying to figure out how to MAKE things happen right in the future and how to avoid bad things and make sure to do everything RIGHT all the time so I and my family would be “safe.”
I didn’t realize that I was picturing the future WITHOUT God. Of course, that makes sense to me now, because I was living in the present without His Spirit having control in my life – so that would be the way I would picture the future, too. I was trying to figure it all out on my own and in my wisdom and power. It was an illusion. I didn’t have control in reality. And it was depressing and very stressful picturing trying to figure out every possible scenario that might happen and trying to be sovereign and make everyone and everything in my life go the “right” way in my view.
Worry is such a slap in the face to Jesus. It means I don’t trust Him. I HAVE to choose one or the other. I can worry and try to control things myself, or I can have faith in Jesus and have intimacy with Him. I cannot have both faith and worry!
Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
I used to have such weak “trust muscles” as Laura Doyle calls them in “The Surrendered Wife” (not a Christian book, but a helpful book and practical book for figuring out how to relinquish control and how to begin to respect ourselves, our husbands and how to trust.)
When he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6-7
FAITH
Jesus commands me not to worry and not to live today obsessing about my needs being met in the future. He wants me to see that He is here with me now, and He will be with me tomorrow. And He is ABLE to meet my needs. When I trust Him, I know that He can and will use all things for my ultimate good and His glory. THAT must be my goal! To seek God’s will and His glory in everything in my life.
Then, I can relax and rest in the love of God – and SAVOR the gifts of today with contentment, gratitude, joy and peace.
ONE WIFE’S STORY OF COMING TO LIVE IN REAL FAITH (This wife’s husband just left her a few weeks ago suddenly and without much warning – and she has not heard from him since)
It’s SO hard to explain things because there are so many unanswered things. I am in a scary place with my future and a week ago, I wrestled with myself and God. I said that either I believe all that He tells me in the Bible (including that He provides for me, He protects me, He loves me, He will Never abandon me …. ) or I don’t believe all He tells me.
(From Peacefulwife – this is EXACTLY the place I had to come to 4 years ago, also!)
I came to a point in that painful time with Him, where I said “I am going to believe that You are who You say You are. I have been walking with you over 25 years and have held on to fears, control, worry, doubt. I don’t want to have that anymore. I want to believe with calm assurance that You are who You say You are.
Something in me broke.
In a moment, the excruciating pain in my chest and the heavy pain in me was gone. I don’t have any answers but have told God that I will trust Him to provide for my every need from now until the day I die. I asked for His forgiveness for so many things. I cry as I write all this. I am so thankful that He loves and takes care of me.
FROM PEACEFULWIFE
This kind of brokenness, humility and decision to put our faith in Christ is EXACTLY what Jesus longs to see in each of us. NOW – He can start powerfully working in this precious wife’s heart in ways that He couldn’t before because of her lack of faith and her trying to be in control.
I can’t wait to see what God has in store for her!!! And I can’t wait to see what He has in store for you!!!!!