What? Me? Worry? But, Of Course!

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like of of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' for the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But, seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day had enough trouble of its own.*

I list this passage in Matthew as one of my favorites. I can't tell you how many times I have read and re-read and re-re-read this passage. How amazing it must be to not worry; to let tomorrow handle itself. I don't know of very many people who can. I know I can't. If I don't worry about tomorrow, than who will?

Oh, I know God will, but didn't He also make me human and humans worry?

Being without a job and the money it provides, I worry about how I'm going to pay bills. My brother is worrying about the decision of which motorhome to buy and I'm worried about which bills are going to get paid. So, worry is a part of the unemployment status.

God has, this past year and a half, provided and He has taken the one penny I had left in my account, covered EVERY last bill and still left that penny in my account. I know He's done that before, and experience tells me He'll do it again. He's good that way.

But, does that mean I don't worry? No. If anything, I worry so much that God has just kind of sat back. Not in a bad way, but in that "I'll-let-her-worry-herself-to-sleep-and-give-her-comfort-in-the-morning" sort of way. He doesn't stand back. He just knows I'm going to worry.

A few days ago, I felt the pangs of worry hit and the tears flowed. I'm "X" amount of dollars short for rent, electricity, and car insurance. Talk about fear and anxiety metamorphing into worry. And it became so overbearing, that I had to return to sleep, just for some rest from all the worry.

It was that day that God reminded me of this passage. He also reminded me of Beth Moore. What a blessing that woman has been for me and she doesn't even know me!

A few weeks ago, I finished up her "Believing God" study. I knew it was helpful then, but didn't realize the full impact of it until I was in tears, sobbing and gasping for breath before my Lord. Before I knew what was happening, my fingers started to form the "shield". I held on to these six things from Beth Moore's teaching:

GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS!

GOD CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS HE CAN DO!

I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM!

I CAN ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST (who strengthens me)

GOD'S WORD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE IN ME!

I'M BELIEVING GOD!

Can I get a hallelujah!? I know someone wants to.

Will I worry about things? Yes, I will. But, I have someone I can turn to that will take my worry from me and softly remind me "I got this, child."

And, in the famous words of Beth Moore, let me say that again. In the midst of my turmoil and worry, I have Someone I can turn to who will softly say "I got this, My child." The tears of joy form in my eyes when I think of Him reminding me of that.

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care if itself.

And, in the words of Bill and Gloria Gaither: Because I know He holds my future!

And thankfully, I don't!

*Matthew 6:25 - 34 (NIV)