Have you ever spent hours awake at night worrying about tomorrow? Whether it’s worrying about finances, family, health or work, we’ve all done it. In my opinion, there is nothing that we can do in this life that wastes more of our precious time than worrying. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is Matthew 6:34 which says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
It’s very clear what this verse is telling us to do, so why is it so hard? When we lack faith, we worry because we believe that it is up to us to solve all of our own problems. We don’t trust that God will come through for us and even when we realize that we can’t fix the problem alone, pride, hopelessness, or a lack of knowledge prevents us from depending on the One who can. The good news is that grace is available to do the things that we have been commanded to do and all we have to do is receive it. Therefore, we have no need to worry or despair because the grace we need to overcome in each day is available to us. It is a vital weapon helping us win against worry!
Grace is when you are given something that you do not deserve. It is God’s unmerited or unearned favor. When we focus on each day and work hard to be successful and faithful in it, grace covers us for that day. But, what happens when we allow our days to be filled with worry? When we worry, we remove ourselves from God’s grace and His favor will not be upon the things that we attempt. Many people have had nervous breakdowns or life-changing health conditions due to worry when all they (myself included) had to do was take heed of Matthew 6:34. When we take it one day at a time, we can focus more on allowing God’s unmerited favor to cover every situation that concerned us.
The next time that you decide to worry about the problems of tomorrow, be it issues of relationships, finances, work, family, or health… please remember that God will not meet you in a place of worry. Instead of asking God to remove the things that worry you, do as the Apostle Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, when he stated “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Ask yourself where you would rather be. Lost in thoughts of tomorrow without God’s grace… or making it through each day knowing that God has given you just enough grace for it? Through overcoming all things that threaten to worry you, Christ’s power may rest on you and no matter what you face today, His grace is enough!
- Coach Dee, The Impact Coach