Matthew 6:34 (NLT) Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Todays trouble is enough for today. COMMENTARY PEARL There are two days you should never worry about: yesterday and tomorrow. Jesus said, Dont worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34 NCV). You cant live in the past. You cant live in the future. You can only live today. Why should you only live one day at a time? First, when you worry about tomorrows problems, you miss the blessings of today. Second, you cannot solve tomorrows problems with todays power. When tomorrow arrives, God will give you the power, perspective, grace, and wisdom you need. When I was a kid, I didn't worry about anything I needed in my life. Instead, I just went to my dad or mom and told them what I needed. I was never once concerned about how they were going to meet our needs because they took on that responsibility. God wants you to be the same way with him. Matthew 6:30 says, If God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? (TLB) When you worry, you assume responsibility that God never intended for you to have. You may be worrying today about a lot of things that are really God's responsibility. In fact, every time you worry, it's a warning that youre playing God and that you believe it all depends on you. Youre acting like you don't have a heavenly Father who will feed and lead and meet your needs. The Bible does not say, Give us this day our weekly bread. It says, Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11 ESV). God wants you to depend on him one day at a time. He will provide everything you need - for today. Because he is a good God, you can trust that you will lack nothing. Its okay to plan for tomorrow. But dont worry about it! Trust God for each day as it comes. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] COMMENTARY Win Your Battle with Worry The apostle Paul faced an uncertain future. He was arrested for preaching the gospel, but as a Roman citizen, he had the right to appeal to Caesar. As a result, Paul was living under house arrest, awaiting an appearance before the leader of Rome. Paul didnt know whether his appeal would bring about his acquittal or his beheading. But instead of worrying and complaining, he was rejoicing and living in great peace. Writing to the believers in Philippi, he said, Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ... Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (4:4, 6-7 NKJV). Rejoicing is a scriptural command, not a suggestion. To fail to rejoice is actual disobedience to God. But notice that Paul said, Rejoice in the Lord, not rejoice in your circumstances. Some Christians think that whatever happens, they should rejoice in it. No, we should rejoice in the fact that God is still on the throne and still loves us. We should rejoice in the fact that, according to Romans 8:28, God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (NLT). When we worry, its a failure on our part to trust God. Jesus said, So dont worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Todays trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:34 NLT). The word worry comes from a term that means to choke. And thats what worry does. It creates mental and emotional strangulation in your life. Worry actually makes things worse, because when you worry about the future, you cripple yourself in the present. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] CLOSING THOUGHT Focus On The Present God takes thanksgiving seriously. Here's why: gratitude keeps us focused on the present. The Bible's most common word for worry is the Greek term merimnate. The origin is merimnao. This is a compound of a verb and a noun. The verb is divide. The noun is mind. To be anxious, then, is to divide the mind. Worry takes a meat cleaver to our thoughts, energy, and focus. Anxiety chops up our attention. It sends our awareness in a dozen directions. We worry about the past - what we said or did. We worry about the future - tomorrow's assignments or the next decade's developments. Anxiety takes our attention from the right now and directs it "back then' or "out there." But when you aren't focused on your problem, you have a sudden availability of brain space. Use it for good. Focus on - and be grateful for - the present. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado] ONE LINERS We are to make Him [Jesus] first and last and best in everything. We are to engage in no business, follow no pursuit, seek no pleasure, that would hinder the outworking of His righteousness in our character and life. Whatever we do is to be done heartily, as unto the Lord If we follow His example, His assurance to us is that all things needful in this life "shall be added." {MB 99} If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved. MB101 LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Matthew 6:34 - Dealing With Worry. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210908-1040.html Matthew 6:34 - Plan for Tomorrow but Live for Today. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201123-1013.html Matthew 6:33 - Put Jesus First and All These Things Will Be Added. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201002-0935.html YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/