The Question is: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? – 21 July 2022

We may naturally find it difficult to wake from a cosy sleep on a wintry morning – maybe any morning – but how do you feel about the day as you surface? Do you embrace it joyfully, knowing that God is with you, no matter what happens, and say, “Lord, thank You for another day to live, ‘for [your] compassions never fail. They are new every morning’ (Lamentations 3:22-23); or do you groan, turn over, and try to block out the worries waiting to flood your consciousness as you open your eyes?

Perhaps events of the previous evening or how you slept (or didn’t) have a bearing on your morning frame of mind, but, ultimately, our response is determined by where we are in relation to trusting God. In today’s verse, Jesus exposes the futility of worrying by asking, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

He points out that we fret about the unimportant things and further puts into perspective how worry and trust are in opposition to one another: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”(Luke 12:22-24)

Worry is a fact of life, always lurking, ready to assail unsuspecting victims day or night, if allowed to, with concerns about our health, finances, relationships; in fact anything that affects our sense of wellbeing. But Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) By acknowledging the source of our worry – our own powerlessness in the big scheme of things – we free ourselves from it to trust God fully with our problems.

Despite a lot of negative focus in the world, Believers can choose to see the positive things happening in their own lives as well as in creation. God constantly “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45) Being armed positively will help to ward off the Enemy’s latest problem dangled before them, designed to produce negativity and despair.

If we learn to trust God fully, we know He loves us, and the future and every other important issue in our life is no longer our concern. Worrying about how to find a job, be cured, get our car fixed, or whatever other problem we may have, is in His capable hands and peace is ours.

Worry is something that will always be an option in our response to any problems, but so is the option to trust God. May we rather surrender to Him.

Jesus said: “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Luke 12:31)

Prayer: I love You Lord because You rescue me, give me understanding and peace, and help me grow. Amen