Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. Anxiety can be overcome.
Often, we get caught up in our plans and programs, overlooking the blessings of today and obsessing over things that may be uncontrollable in our future. Jesus said, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).
It is the thirty-fourth, and final, verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount.
In fact, he tells us five times in Matthew 6:25-34: “Do not worry about your life.” (v. 25). “Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?”
I think he makes it pretty clear: Don't start worrying. If you are worrying, quit; if you haven't started, don't. Easier said than done, right? Yet we can train our minds to not give in to the temptation of the devil. We can divert our attention away from him, on to something that is so much healthier for our mind and body. But Jesus is right. "Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?"
Jesus doesn't want us worrying. In fact the Bible says worry is a sin, when it comes to the point we become obsessed with it. God understands we will worry, but when we make ourselves sick over it, isn't that really telling Jesus we don't believe he will help us? He wants us to trust him and have faith that he will answer our prayers, because he always has our best interest at heart and he wants to help us.
Much of our anxiety is born out of concerns and uncertainty regarding our future. We get caught up in our plans and programs, overlooking the blessings of today and obsessing over uncontrollable details on the horizon.
Jesus is saying, “Don’t worry about the future. Even though it will have its share of problems, worrying about those problems now, doesn’t accomplish anything. Just deal with them as they come, for there’s no way to solve them in advance.”
Planning and providing for tomorrow is good, but worrying about it is sin because God is the God of tomorrow just as He is the God of today. Your anxiety about the future is really doubt in the Lord’s sovereign control. Lamentations 3:23 tells us His mercies “are new every morning.” Put your confidence in the Lord’s daily grace and provision and you’ll be less prone to panic about an uncertain future.
Worry paralyzes its victim, making him or her too upset to accomplish anything else. It hijacks your focus and forces you mentally into tomorrow, occupying your mind with doubts about details you cannot control, and may not even come. The Lord says you have enough to deal with today. Apply today’s resources to today’s needs or you will lose today’s joy. There is one thing I always remind myself of, if I start to feel anxious: Never allow yesterday, to steal joy from today. Jesus is my joy, and he brings us joy, and I don't want to interrupt nor quench the Holy Spirit's joy or presence in me:
“Do not quench the Spirit” is a Bible verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:19.
By worrying about tomorrow, many believers miss the victory God would give them today. “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm). God gave us the glorious gift of life today. We are reminded to live in the light and full joy of that day, using the resources He supplies. Don’t push yourself into the future and forfeit the day’s joy, over some tomorrow that may never happen. Today is all we really have. Tomorrow always belongs to God. We really don't have the promise of it until God gives it to us, so why worry about it? It will take care of itself. We must stay focused on today and I don't know about you but I want to give God my best each day and not waste it. It is a gift from God.
God gives you strength one day at a time. He gives you what you need, when you need it. He doesn’t encumber you with excess baggage.
Perhaps your worst fear is how you’d handle a loved one’s death. Many Christians who find themselves in that situation, have said: “It is so wonderful how God has sustained me! I naturally miss my beloved, but I feel such incredible strength and confidence and a gladness in my heart that my loved one is with the Lord.” God gives us His grace in the hour we need it. If we worry about the future now, we double our pain without having the grace to deal with it.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). That means He will be doing the same thing tomorrow that He was doing yesterday. If you have any question about the future, look at the past. He sustained you then; He will sustain you now, and in the future.
How can we overcome obsessive worry?
For one thing, the Bible tells us to keep our eyes upon Jesus, and he will keep us in perfect peace:
"Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee." Isaiah 26:3
When we focus on one certain challenge in our lives, that doesn't leave our hearts and minds open to receive comfort from Jesus. However, He knew we would have such moments, so he went so far as to tell us how to alleviate worry:
Philippians 4:8 KJV, says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things".
Jesus challenged people to change their thinking, in his first sermon, which is recorded in Matthew 4:17:
“Change your mind” is the central theme of Jesus' first sermon (Matt. 4:17). Jesus challenged people to change their thinking because regardless how many times you read through the Bible, if your mind doesn't change, neither will your life. The Bible says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The truths of Jesus truly set us free. They help us resist sin and temptation. The truths of Jesus bring us salvation and eternal life in heaven. Without them, we are overcome with the bondage of sin and the wiles of the devil, but the second we turn to God and invite him into our hearts and lives as Savior, he forgives our sins and sets us free. He promises to do so and he never breaks a promise.
We can't focus on two things at the same time. We'll either become more irritated with worry, or we have the choice of turning to Jesus for help and guidance, and focus on him, which gives us peace from the Holy Spirit that God places in those who trust in him to rescue them:
Isaiah 26:3. KJV ... Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
God is trust-WORTHY. I found that out in the 51 years I have been with him and gave my life to Christ. We must be careful what we allow in our minds and heart. We must covet and protect them. A positive mind, is a healthy mind. Change your mind, and you will change your life!
Proverbs 4:23 - Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
According to the Bible, to overcome anxiety and worry, one should "cast their cares on God" through prayer and supplication, trusting that He will provide peace that surpasses understanding, as outlined in Philippians 4:6-7; essentially, bring your worries to God and rely on His strength and guidance to find peace. There is no true peace, in any other.
Prayer Changes Everything - Nothing Is Too Hard for God
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
We need not fear. God did not give us a "spirit of fear", but of power, love, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. There is no fear in perfect love. 1 John 4:18. God's love is perfect, because HE is perfect.
Isaiah 41:10:
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Psalm 55:22:
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."
John 14:27:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
There we have it. The perfect formula for staying spiritually at peace. I pray that each one of you will find this peace.
It is the thirty-fourth, and final, verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount.
In fact, he tells us five times in Matthew 6:25-34: “Do not worry about your life.” (v. 25). “Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?”
I think he makes it pretty clear: Don't start worrying. If you are worrying, quit; if you haven't started, don't. Easier said than done, right? Yet we can train our minds to not give in to the temptation of the devil. We can divert our attention away from him, on to something that is so much healthier for our mind and body. But Jesus is right. "Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?"
Jesus doesn't want us worrying. In fact the Bible says worry is a sin, when it comes to the point we become obsessed with it. God understands we will worry, but when we make ourselves sick over it, isn't that really telling Jesus we don't believe he will help us? He wants us to trust him and have faith that he will answer our prayers, because he always has our best interest at heart and he wants to help us.
Much of our anxiety is born out of concerns and uncertainty regarding our future. We get caught up in our plans and programs, overlooking the blessings of today and obsessing over uncontrollable details on the horizon.
Jesus is saying, “Don’t worry about the future. Even though it will have its share of problems, worrying about those problems now, doesn’t accomplish anything. Just deal with them as they come, for there’s no way to solve them in advance.”
Planning and providing for tomorrow is good, but worrying about it is sin because God is the God of tomorrow just as He is the God of today. Your anxiety about the future is really doubt in the Lord’s sovereign control. Lamentations 3:23 tells us His mercies “are new every morning.” Put your confidence in the Lord’s daily grace and provision and you’ll be less prone to panic about an uncertain future.
Worry paralyzes its victim, making him or her too upset to accomplish anything else. It hijacks your focus and forces you mentally into tomorrow, occupying your mind with doubts about details you cannot control, and may not even come. The Lord says you have enough to deal with today. Apply today’s resources to today’s needs or you will lose today’s joy. There is one thing I always remind myself of, if I start to feel anxious: Never allow yesterday, to steal joy from today. Jesus is my joy, and he brings us joy, and I don't want to interrupt nor quench the Holy Spirit's joy or presence in me:
“Do not quench the Spirit” is a Bible verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:19.
By worrying about tomorrow, many believers miss the victory God would give them today. “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm). God gave us the glorious gift of life today. We are reminded to live in the light and full joy of that day, using the resources He supplies. Don’t push yourself into the future and forfeit the day’s joy, over some tomorrow that may never happen. Today is all we really have. Tomorrow always belongs to God. We really don't have the promise of it until God gives it to us, so why worry about it? It will take care of itself. We must stay focused on today and I don't know about you but I want to give God my best each day and not waste it. It is a gift from God.
God gives you strength one day at a time. He gives you what you need, when you need it. He doesn’t encumber you with excess baggage.
Perhaps your worst fear is how you’d handle a loved one’s death. Many Christians who find themselves in that situation, have said: “It is so wonderful how God has sustained me! I naturally miss my beloved, but I feel such incredible strength and confidence and a gladness in my heart that my loved one is with the Lord.” God gives us His grace in the hour we need it. If we worry about the future now, we double our pain without having the grace to deal with it.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). That means He will be doing the same thing tomorrow that He was doing yesterday. If you have any question about the future, look at the past. He sustained you then; He will sustain you now, and in the future.
How can we overcome obsessive worry?
For one thing, the Bible tells us to keep our eyes upon Jesus, and he will keep us in perfect peace:
"Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee." Isaiah 26:3
When we focus on one certain challenge in our lives, that doesn't leave our hearts and minds open to receive comfort from Jesus. However, He knew we would have such moments, so he went so far as to tell us how to alleviate worry:
Philippians 4:8 KJV, says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things".
Jesus challenged people to change their thinking, in his first sermon, which is recorded in Matthew 4:17:
“Change your mind” is the central theme of Jesus' first sermon (Matt. 4:17). Jesus challenged people to change their thinking because regardless how many times you read through the Bible, if your mind doesn't change, neither will your life. The Bible says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The truths of Jesus truly set us free. They help us resist sin and temptation. The truths of Jesus bring us salvation and eternal life in heaven. Without them, we are overcome with the bondage of sin and the wiles of the devil, but the second we turn to God and invite him into our hearts and lives as Savior, he forgives our sins and sets us free. He promises to do so and he never breaks a promise.
We can't focus on two things at the same time. We'll either become more irritated with worry, or we have the choice of turning to Jesus for help and guidance, and focus on him, which gives us peace from the Holy Spirit that God places in those who trust in him to rescue them:
Isaiah 26:3. KJV ... Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
God is trust-WORTHY. I found that out in the 51 years I have been with him and gave my life to Christ. We must be careful what we allow in our minds and heart. We must covet and protect them. A positive mind, is a healthy mind. Change your mind, and you will change your life!
Proverbs 4:23 - Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
According to the Bible, to overcome anxiety and worry, one should "cast their cares on God" through prayer and supplication, trusting that He will provide peace that surpasses understanding, as outlined in Philippians 4:6-7; essentially, bring your worries to God and rely on His strength and guidance to find peace. There is no true peace, in any other.
Prayer Changes Everything - Nothing Is Too Hard for God
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
We need not fear. God did not give us a "spirit of fear", but of power, love, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. There is no fear in perfect love. 1 John 4:18. God's love is perfect, because HE is perfect.
Isaiah 41:10:
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Psalm 55:22:
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."
John 14:27:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
There we have it. The perfect formula for staying spiritually at peace. I pray that each one of you will find this peace.
