Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:34

[Jesus says,] "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
~ Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

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Why, oh why, do we worry? Somehow, I think our human nature is bent on it.

Our minds reel from the possibilities of the unknown. Scary stuff, like cancer and heart attacks. Dangerous stuff, like tornados and crazed killers. Will it happen to me, or my family? The unknown drives us crazy, because this world is full of horrible craziness. Sin has twisted the whole world and twisted us in knots.

Lesser things cause us to worry, things we think scream for our intervention. We think we know best about how people should run their lives...children making personal decisions that go against our set of values...friends and family taking risks with money, relationships and careers. We think we've got the answers, if they'll only listen to us. And we worry they won't listen to wisdom and fall on their faces in failure.

The unknown. It drives us mad sometimes, doesn't it?

Being appropriately concerned and worrying are two different things. In fact, they are a cause and an effect. The cause is not to blame; what we need to do is break the effect of worry -- turn that to faith and trust in God.

All this worry over the future is so pointless, because the future hasn't happened. And more times than not, the things we worry about happening never do happen, or even come close. But we want a controlled environment for ourselves and others. We want to be in control, to manipulate and maneuver, to avoid all potential pain, discomfort and difficulty. We want to be God. But since we're not God, all we can really do is worry. That's our puny attempt at controlling the universe.

Frankly, the only thing we accomplish with worry is gray hair, high blood pressure and tension headaches. Meanwhile, the world keeps spinning...

Here's a good perspective...

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God
~ from God is God, by Steven Curtis Chapman

It comes down to acknowledging our being limited creatures and trusting in the limitless God. Jesus said, "Trust Me. And trust the Father." So, do we really trust Him? We can say we do, but in our minds, we often jump on the worry wagon so quickly, we're a mile down the worry parade before we know what hit us.

It's a choice to let go of trying to control people and situations. It's a choice to rest in God's hands and let Him be who He is...the maker of the universe, the lover of men's souls, the victor over evil.

....so much better to lay in the hammock of trust in God, than to fly around the endless racetrack of worry. (psst...in case you didn't know, Nascar drivers never go anywhere...they just keep driving around in circles...get the picture? :-)

Love,
Joelene