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by Kevin Pauley
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34
I once counseled a person who was completely disabled by worry. He was so concerned about germs, nuclear war, global warming, terrorists and earthquakes that he could no longer leave his house. He barely got out of bed because he was afraid that he would slip and fall. The only thing that caused him to get into the shower was the fear that the dirt would allow germs to proliferate and lead to his impending doom.
Some people believe that fish have a terribly short memory and that by the time a fish gets from one end of its tank to the other, it has pretty much forgotten what the other end looked like. This incredibly short memory allows a fish to swim around contentedly in circles for its entire life.
Whether true or not, there is a limited application to this aphorism. Albert Einstein once said, “I never think of the future; it comes soon enough.” Jesus commands us “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.” He’s not saying “do not think about tomorrow,” or “do not plan for tomorrow.” He clearly indicated that we should look ahead and count the cost (Luke 14:28-33). Jesus meant that there is a difference between concern and worry. We need to do what we can and leave the rest up to God. Our knowledge and abilities are limited in scope and we must rely on God to make up for our deficits.
Paul also taught this “living in the now” concept. He taught us to forget those things which lie behind us and to reach forward to what lies ahead, pressing toward the goal of Christ (Philippians 3:13-14). He went further saying, “Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. (Philippians 4:6 TLB)
We shouldn’t worry about the future. We shouldn’t let the weight of our past mistakes cripple us. Instead, we need to live in the now. In a sense, the world is made new to us every day. God has given us the gift of confession and repentance (1 John 1:9) and it is possible to be reborn each day with a clean slate. This is why we should “not let the sun go down on” our wrath (Ephesians 4:26). We don’t want to let things carry over onto the next fresh clean day.
When we keep confessing the same sin to God over and over, we are telling Him that we don’t trust Him to forgive us. When we carry our vengeful thoughts from day to day, we are telling Him we don’t trust Him be just. When we keep worrying about the future, we are telling Him we don’t think He is truly sovereign or truly good. So, what are you telling God today?
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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