Take no thought for Tomorrow

During trials, take no thought for tomorrow

 The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:34, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow”.” You could also translate that “Do not worry about tomorrow”, or “Do not be troubled about tomorrow.”  

“Do not worry about tomorrow.” Easy to say. Difficult to do.

We’ve all been there: worrying about what tomorrow will bring. Asking ourselves: Will my trial be over? Will I even make it to tomorrow? 

But we need to ask ourselves “do we really want to know what tomorrow will bring?” and “what if we knew what tomorrow would bring, what then?”

If tomorrow would bring something better, we would definitely want to know it. However, if it was going to get worse before it was going to get better would we want to know that? Would we want to know that tomorrow is going to be worse than today? Even just a little worse? For that matter, what if tomorrow was only going to be a little better instead of a lot better, would we want to know it?

Knowing tomorrow, wouldn’t that produce more worry, anxiety, and fear? How would we handle knowing that? Even if it were just another day or two of worse before better. Could we handle it knowing it?  I don’t think the vast majority of us could handle knowing tomorrow. We worry enough about today without also worrying about tomorrow.

Even if tomorrow was better. If we knew what tomorrow would bring, we’d be trying to live “in” tomorrow, instead of living “for” tomorrow. We need to live in the ‘here and now’, as it’s called, if we are to bring maximum glory to our God, and receive maximum blessing for ourselves. Remember, our greatest good is always found in God’s greatest glory! How He brings that about, I don’t know. But, it’s enough that He knows! We need to live “in the moment”, as actors say when they do well in playing a difficult role, and by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, live in such a way so as to bring Him maximum glory. For, again, our greatest good is always found in His greatest glory.

The simple fact is, God never created us to know tomorrow. Not angels. Not the devil. Not me. Not you. Only God knows tomorrow.

When it comes to TOMORROW, what is a key that enables us to not worry about tomorrow? 

It is this, instead of focusing on what tomorrow may bring, FOCUS ON GOD—FOCUS ON GOD HIMSELF. Remember, the Scripture says in Genesis 18:25: 

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Abraham voiced a rhetorical question (really he was making a true statement about God). God didn’t correct Abraham. God didn’t say, ‘No, Abraham, you’re wrong.” Instead, God accepted what Abraham said as true. GOD ALWAYS DOES WHAT IS RIGHT. 

So, what can we learn about TOMORROW from this statement?

Tomorrow only holds what is RIGHT for YOU!

When it comes to TOMORROW, what is another key that enables us to not worry about tomorrow? 

Focus on the character of your loving Heavenly Father, Who truly and only gives good gifts to His children. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:11, 

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your heavenly Father give GOOD GIFTS to those who ask Him?"

So, what can we learn about TOMORROW from this statement?

When it comes to His children,
our Father in Heaven
is
too loving to ever do anything unkind
and
too wise to ever make a mistake.

 Today is not a mistake; today is not unkind—the same goes for whatever tomorrow may bring. Our Father in Heaven never changes. He is the same everyday—Loving and Wise.

 So, what can we learn about TOMORROW from this statement? 

Tomorrow only holds GOOD GIFTS for YOU!
Tomorrow only holds what is LOVING and WISE for YOU!

A final key to not being troubled about what tomorrow may bring us, even a trial’s tomorrow, is found in the verses leading up to Matthew 6:34.

 Christ doesn’t simply tell us “not worry about tomorrow”, but He actually said, “THEREFORE, do not worry about tomorrow.” He used the word “Therefore” to begin his statement.  “Therefore” looks back to His previous words.  “Therefore” draws a conclusion from what has just been stated. “Therefore do not worry” looks back to the previous verses to explain why we do not need to worry about tomorrow.

So, let’s also look back to the previous verses in Christ’s teaching, so that we can understand why we do not need to worry about tomorrow. Verses 25-33 give us some reasons why we don’t need to worry about tomorrow.

The “Therefore” in verse 34 looks back to 

verse 25: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Your Heavenly Father has given you life and a body that functions. These are indication of His love and concern for you. 

verse 26: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”

If your Heavenly Father cares for the birds, will He not also care for you.  You are worth more to Him than birds are.

verse 27: “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

Worrying accomplishes NOTHING—except, maybe, to make you worry even more!

verses 28-30: “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? O, You of little faith!”

If your Heavenly Father cares for even plants and covers them with flowers, will He not also care for you.  You are worth more to Him than grass is.

verses 31-32:“Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

Your Heavenly Father is watching over you. He knows what you need. He knows, and He provides.

What do these verses teach us? God has already proven to each one of us that He loves us and will care for us! God has a ‘proven track-record’ of success in providing for us! 

Why would He suddenly change and not provide all that we need? HE WOULDN’T!

Now, sometimes we think we need something that God has not yet provided. In verse 33, Christ gives us one reason why this may sometimes happen:

“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

God wants you to first and foremost focus on His Kingdom and His righteousness, and then these other things will be provided. There is a proper order for these things. There is a “first” (“His Kingdom and His Righteousness”), and then there is a ‘second’ (“these other things”). We can’t have the second before the first. The first should always be first.

I wonder if sometimes we are our own worst enemies. What do I mean? Perhaps, sometimes, we focus on the very (second) things God wants to provide more than we focus on God (the first), and this delays Him in providing them. God wants us to focus more on the Giver than His gifts; more on the Blesser, then His blessings. Until we do that, it is we that may be the cause of delayed blessings and gifts.

Giver first; gifts second.
Blesser first; blessings second.
Provider first; provisions second.
Him first; things second.

Remember focus on God’s righteousness—His holy deeds; focus on God’s love and wisdom—His holy character.

Here are two verses for us to focus our thoughts upon during times of trial:

Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Only God, Christ, and the Word of God pass this 8-fold test for things our thoughts should dwell on.

Romans 8:32: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 

If God gave us His very best—His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—what good thing is there that He would withhold from us? 

The answer is NOTHING!!!

Brothers and sisters, if you have any concerns or needs during this time of trial, please don’t hesitate to contact the pastoral staff of Grace Gospel Church. If you don’t have one of their phone numbers, just phone the church office and they can give you Paul’s cell phone. If you haven’t yet received a pastoral phone call from Fred or Paul or Trey, you should receive one if you have left your phone number with Grace Gospel Church.

Looking forward to worshipping with you all at GGC on Easter Sunday (12april)—at this point in time the government-mandated ban on public gatherings should be lifted, starting on Monday 06april).

Be sure to reach out to Jon DuPonte and thank him for providing the motivation to post these devotionals. Also, please give a shout-out to Kim Royds, who also encouraged more Blog posting during this time of trial and government-mandated non-gathering.