THE BRANCH’S WAY-Isaiah 4:2 (A WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE) Sunday September 1, 2024
WORRY NOT ABOUT TOMORROW
Text: Matthew 6:34 KJVS
[34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Another translation has it this way: So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today”(Matthew 6:34 NLT).
Today I want to re-echo the message of our Lord Jesus which He preached on the Mount popularly called the Beattitudes (our attitudes) to His disciples. Jesus decided to warn His disciples of the likely short fall they could get into if care is not taken. At this time of the disciples' lives, pride was already creeping in as a result of their closeness to the Master. The Master told them " Do not fret about tomorrow for tomorrow will have its own troubles. Do not add the problems of tomorrow to today's own. As each day will come with their respective problems.
Is our Lord Jesus telling us not to think of tomorrow or plan for the future? No, He is not against people planning for tomorrow but not to worry (or fret). In fact there is a quote that says- "Planing for tomorrow is time well spent but worrying about tomorrow is time wasted".
It is this time wasting venture that Jesus is warning us against. This incidentally has eaten deep into the fabric of many people including the Christians. People worry themselves with the regrets of yesterday and what will happen tomorrow.
What then is worry? Dictionary defines it as "an uncomfortable feeling in the mind that brings about a mixture of fear and uncertainty". Today people worry most about their financial situation, some it is their health status which represents the state of their complete physical, mental and social well- being and not just the absence of disease or infirmity. Other people worry about the relationship they are in or not. Work is another area that people are anxious of, while to some, it is their family (spouse, children) and many others.
Jesus while treating this subject gave two beautiful examples; 1) He pointed to the fowls of the air, who do not sow nor reap, yet they are fed constantly by God. 2) The plants of the field that grow and shortly after are thrown into fire yet they are beautifully arrayed better than Solomon in his glory. He then asked the people a question "how many have by worrying added an inch to their height or a day to their age. Our Lord Jesus is saying to us to focus our attentions on God the Father who is able to meet all needs rather than worrying ourselves to death.
The Psalmist in his song said "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens" (Psalms 68:19 NIV).
A scenario played out in the book of Exodus 16, when the children of Israel were in the desert, God told them to gather enough manna just for each day, but some of these people disobeyed God and gathered for day and the next (worrying about tomorrow) but when they open their cans the next day, worms have grown in the manna. However, the most important thing is that God rained manna from heaven for His people daily for forty years. What an incredible God we serve!
The following reasons are why we should not worry about tomorrow:
* When we worry about tomorrow, our hearts will be taken away from God.
* Worries will generally bring in fear and fear will push out faith (trusting in God) from our hearts which is key to receiving from God.
* Worries will disrupt our relationship with God.
* A worrier will allow his own plans to interfere with God's plans for him.
* Worrying about the future will disrupt our efforts for today.
* Worrying is more harmful than helpful. A worrier is likely to suffer from depression which could lead to high blood pressure and eventually death.
* It is sinful to worry because it cripples our faith.
* Worry is a disease that brings other diseases.
* It makes us to brood on what may not happen.
* Worry is said to be a grave digger that has no sympathy.
* It is a robber of faith, peace and trust in a never failing God.
* It is a stumbling block to others.
* It is a weight that kills permanently.
* It is sinful and produces fear.
* Worries will affect productivity.
* It may affect the way others are treated.
* It is borrowing trouble that cannot be paid back.
* It is a torment over something that will likely be a blessing if it comes.
* Worrying is living like an orphan without a Heavenly Father.
* It is anticipating trouble that will not likely come to those who trust in God.
The antidote to worries is to put our trust in God who is an expert in turning the impossibles to possibilities. The worries of Sarah landed the entire world in her present predicament. What she was worried about became a thing of nought, for in her testimony she said “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age" (Genesis 21:7 NIV). She failed to emphasize on her own age of ninety.
I would say if anyone ought to have worried in the Bible the person should have been Noah. When God asked him to gather all manner of animals into the Ark, his worries should have been how to go about it. But he left that aspect which he knew he had no control over to God and he concentrated on the building of the Ark (Genesis 7). Let us learn to leave to God whatever we can not control. “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you" (Psalms 55: 22a).
Phillippians 4: 6- 7 (NIV) says “Do not be anxious (worry) about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
What to do:
* Seek God first and all His righteousness and all your needs will be met.
* Trust God with the whole of your heart for every of your needs, believing that the God who created the mouth will fill it with food.
* Let the Bible be your closest companion as there in lies all the needed information about life.
* Have a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit.
* Learn to leave one day at a time.
* Know that God would always bring good out of every situation.
* Believe that God will take care of all your needs - for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things (Matthew 6: 32)
* Know that worry would not change anything but add stress to your life.
* Do not allow your worries of tomorrow to take away your joy of today.
* Know that Jesus promised to be with us always
* Store up your treasures in heaven and not on earth, then your focus will be heavenly.
* Find something to do in the vineyard of God.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
John 14:27 says " Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".
Prayers:
1. My Lord and my Father I need your mercy, have mercy on me in Jesus name.
2. Anything that would put a question mark on Jesus in my life be destroyed in Jesus name.
3. Every internal worry destroying me little by little be destroyed by fire in Jesus name.
4. Anything drawing tears from my eyes daily Blood of Jesus destroy it in Jesus name.
5. Any demon rubbishing my glory be paralyzed and be cast into the bottomless pit in Jesus name.
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