Me Worry About Tomorrow?

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. MATTHEW 6:34



Years ago while in my early 20s, I took a two-week job running a women’s clothing store while the owner took a little worry-free vacation. She trusted me because I worked Mondays for her already. Behind the counter a sign that read, “Worry—a responsibility God does not intend for you to have.” That sign has stuck with me over the years and often comes back to hound me or others whom I feel the need to quote it to with or without their permission.



This verse, however, isn’t exactly clear without reading the context. It has a “therefore” at the beginning which requires me to go back. The beginning of the chapter starts with Jesus giving caution as to how we should give to the needy so as not to lose our rewards. Prayer and Jesus’ famous example comes next, then directions for discreet fasting. Verse 19 tell us not to store up treasures on earth because we cannot serve two masters, hating one and loving the other as we cannot serve both God and Money. Then Jesus says not to worry about our lives and goes on specifically to tell us what we should not worry about and gives us colorful examples about life being more important than food, the body more important than clothes. He shares about birds and lilies who don’t work and yet God cares for them and Jesus asks if we are not more valuable than they. Then an awesome rhetorical question, “Can we add a single hour to our lives by worrying! “



I feel compelled to look up worry…as if I didn’t have enough to worry about with writing this devotion! My American Heritage Taking Dictionary served up a mess of worry in itself. Just read this:



wor-ry To feel uneasy or concerned about something; be troubled To pull or tear at something with or as if with the teeth. To proceed doggedly in the face of difficulty or hardship; struggle: worried along at the problem To cause to feel anxious, distressed, or troubled. 2. To bother or annoy, as with petty complaints. To seize with the teeth and shake or tug at repeatedly: a dog worrying a bone. To attack roughly and repeatedly; harass. To touch, move, or handle idly; toy with: worrying the loose tooth with his tongue. wor-ries. The act of worrying or the condition of being worried; persistent mental uneasiness. See Synonyms at anxiety. A source of nagging concern or uneasiness.



Incredible, I had a Border collie mix that I had to give to a farmer because he chewed through Tabasco-coated air conditioning wires in my backyard. I was told she was going to learn to herd sheep. Instead she grabbed…well she did what the example said and found herself in “grave” trouble. What disastrous consequences we bring upon ourselves by that little five-letter word. Considering the Bible was written long before that time, Jesus was quite justified in telling us not to worry, knowing what adverse impact it would have on our minds and bodies and knowing that our Heavenly Father knows our needs. More than worrying he says to seek “his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to us as well.” To whom? To us as well as the animals and plants as long as we are seeking his kingdom first! Usually before we find a “therefore,” we’ll find some explanation or directions.



Now back to the verse of the day and why we find the “therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” That strikes me as a bit funny in a way. Tomorrow will worry about itself. We will worry about it because of our human nature. We can’t seem to get it when we put our head on the pillow at night that worrying ourselves to sleep is only going to continue to the next day. Each day can certainly have enough trouble of its own—because we forget just who is our Father and continue to take responsibility that belongs to him in the first place—worry. Know where does it say, “Thou shalt worry!” unless it’s taken out of context and I’m not going to worry myself with looking that up. Like the sign said, it is a responsibility God never intended for us to have. So let’s give it up…and yes I have plenty of experience in giving it up. When I put my head on the pillow and start to think about my worries, I give it up and start singing, Praise the Lord in my head. It drowns out those worries and yup, I might have to drown them out with praises the next day, but I’m working on it and it is much more pleasant and better for my mental outlook. Praise the Lord.

--Huggingly, Marcia Walthers August 21, 2009 9:57 a.m.