Waking up this morning (as one does in the mornings), I found myself staring blankly into the mirror stressing about all of my financial responsibilities.
My wife and I have just bought our first home. It’s a small, three bedroom home and we love it and feel very blessed to have been able to get it.
We have two sons aged six and ten, and are also currently in the process of adopting a baby girl.
To add to the mix, we also have two dogs and two rats. This is my zoo and I love it.
The thing with life is that with all these blessings comes great responsibility. Very often with great responsibility comes stress, and stress can cause all sorts of health issues that can kill you dead – or worse, keep you living like a crazed lunatic!
While in that moment of anxiety-filled numbness, my mind drifted to the less fortunate people of the world and I wondered how they cope with even less. How do some people continue to smile and stay happy in the midst of a very hard life where they have nothing and struggle for even the basics like food and water? Is having less actually the key to happiness, or is it an issue of trust?
A wise man once said: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Those were the words of Jesus recorded in the Bible (in Matthew 6:34).
I began to wonder how Jesus could tell me not to worry, when He is not the one who has to feed my family or pay my bills and get us through each month. How insensitive, right?
Well, the more I thought about it the more I started to realise that Jesus probably wasn’t being insensitive; rather, those were very wise words. I mean, worrying about something does not fix the problem or change the circumstance, right? Does worrying change anything? And isn’t it even more pointless to worry about things that haven’t even happened yet?
I believe what Jesus was actually trying to tell us is that it’s pointless to stress out about tomorrow, and that we should instead focus on today; that we should live in the moment and get through each problem as it arises.
Now you may not believe in what the Bible says, but the fact is that these are wise words and if heeded would help a lot of people calm down to at least a mild panic so they can begin thinking clearly in whatever situation they find themselves. Worry is the fruit of lack of trust.
Jesus also had the following to say: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
If you are a believer in Jesus, you can put your trust in him fully and take him at his word. Then you’re able to do what the Bible says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6).
But if you have been living life trusting in your own ability, and things just never seem to get any better no matter how hard you try, then maybe it is time for you to start considering putting your trust in God.
Put your faith in Him and let His peace fill your heart, knowing that He is God and that with God all things are possible. Click below if you want Jesus to give you peace and rest for your soul.
– By Chilli Stephenson