Inevitable change ahead
Matthew 6:25-34
“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? 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? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 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? You of little faith! 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. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
True that. Each day has plenty of trouble of its own around here these days. Still knowing the inevitable changes that are headed our way I find myself continually dwelling on the “what if’s.” You know all those things that could happen that I have absolutely no control over, yet can’t help but be consumed with. Finding a new job, selling a house, cutting down to 1 income, moving to a new city and/or state, starting a family, etc…Â
I am generally pretty good with change,and quite often even enjoy it, but that does not mean that it comes without reservations and anxiety. Going to visit a possible future church family this weekend seems to be making all the future uncertainties a more starch reality. With such reality checks comes doubt and worry.Â
I know such things are direct results of my sin nature and by allowing them into my mind and life I am giving the Devil a foothold to distract me from the glory of my Heavenly Father, but still my broken and fallen self seems to weak to fend off such sin. Thankfully Christ offers a solution in this passage of scripture, “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” You see my worry is really just a lack of faith. My anxiety a direct insult and rebuke of my Savior. My doubt a prideful attempt to control the life I long ago surrendered to the one who makes all things right.Â
So these days I find myself having to die daily to self and continually seek after His Kingdom and righteousness. Nothing else I can do will have any positive effect on the future events of our life. He alone is my hope and my future.
So today I write this more as a confession and reminder to myself that I must…
Wholly Surrender!Â