“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV

“No one has to remind you of the high cost of anxiety. Worry divides the mind. The biblical word for worry (merimnao) is a compound of two Greek words, merizo ( to divide) and nous (the mind). Anxiety splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems. Father, give me the courage to place in your hands all of my worries. And give me the faith to leave them with you.” Max Lucada, Traveling Light

We spend time and energy on worrying about things, people, situations, and problems that never happen. We should spend our time in God’s Word and doing good deeds. If I could add up all the hours I have spent fretting over things that never occurred, I am positive it would be years in total.

Jesus tells us not to worry, listing specific things His listeners worried about. If Jesus was addressing us today, He would list things we worry about: getting into college, staying healthy, getting married, our 401K plans. Jesus is not telling us those things aren’t important. They are important, and uncertainty is related to all of them. However, there is a way to face the uncertainties of tomorrow without worrying about them today. He is inviting us to trust—not in fate—but in our heavenly Father. Jesus wants us to work hard and do our best, and once we’ve done all we can do today, we don’t need to worry about tomorrow.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” – Matthew 6:27

When we worry, are we really helping ourselves? Worrying today can’t create certainty tomorrow, so it’s a waste of time. Please pray for me as I am praying for you.