By John Buttrey II

O

ne of our greatest sources of anxiety and stress in life are thoughts and worries about tomorrow.  Though tomorrow has not yet occurred, in our mind we can easily contemplate all that will possibly go wrong; and it scares us.  It is those unwritten chapters of our life that often distress us the most.  Not knowing what will happen tomorrow… or next week… or next year… troubles and disturbs us.  As a result, we are often filled with fear and ineffective today. 

            Have you noticed?  Most of us are tomorrow-oriented in our thinking.  So much so, that we often miss out on what is happening today.  Opportunities that we hope for tomorrow are often right in front of our eyes today; and yet, because are our vision is directed towards the future we miss opportunities in the present.

            Jesus gave us some wonderful words of instruction (not advice) in this regard.  If we will listen and do what He says, we can overcome many of our daily fears. 

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:34

     Jesus says, “Do not worry about tomorrow!”  That is not to say we should never plan for tomorrow or set future goals.  The point is that if we follow our Savior’s teaching and live today with a confident obedient faith in Him and His word, tomorrow will take care of itself.  In fact, by so doing, we may find our tomorrows more glorious and fulfilling than our todays! 

That may sound impossible to some… too good to be true to others.  But the fact of the matter is, what we do today is directly related to tomorrow.  

Ë    The student who studies today for a test, will be better prepared tomorrow to take the test.

Ë    The business man who researches his project today, will be equipped tomorrow when the client is full of questions.

Ë    The farmer who sows his seed today, will have a crop to harvest tomorrow.

Ë    The family that spends time together today will better enjoy times together tomorrow.

Ë    The Christian who studies, prays, serves, and grows in faith today, will be ready for life’s trials tomorrow. 

One unknown poet described what we are talking about so well in this short little verse:

I may never see tomorrow, there’s no guarantee,

And things that happened yesterday belong to history.

I can’t predict the future, I can’t change the past,

I have just the present memories to treat as my last.

I must use the moment wisely, for soon it will pass away,

And be lost forever as a part of yesterday.  

I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet,

Be a friend unto the friendless, make their life complete.

The unkind things I do today, may never be undone,

And friendships that I fail to win, may never be won.

I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray,

And so I thank God with a humble heart for giving me this day!

            Simply put… the planning we do today will find us more greatly prepared tomorrow.  The research we do today will give us many of the answers we need tomorrow.  The seeds we sow today will determine our harvest tomorrow.  The faith we develop today will give us the faith we need tomorrow.

            What are you doing today?