Contributed By: Rev. Mark Breese
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Pastor Mark is the Agency Minister and the Director of Ministry & Community partnerships at Community Missions.

I have to admit, I’ve been worrying a lot lately. Those who know me will laugh and,  but for all this social distancing, would be grabbing me by the shoulders and giving me a little shake. “Mark,” they would say, “You worry all the time…too  much…about everything!” Now, I completely disagree with all of you who think that about me. Not only do I disagree, it worries me that you would… think… Oh. Okay. I see why you think that.

These days, I have been trying to shift that dynamic in myself. Believe me, I get it! There is A LOT going on and NONE of it is normal. And, it’s going to be like this for many days to come. And I guess that’s the thing—each new day is going to keep coming, and worrying about what tomorrow might bring won’t change that one little bit.

Now I’m not suggesting that we ignore that tomorrow will come and not be prepared for what it might bring. Getting prepared and having a plan for our days (and our life for that matter) is important.  Here’s the thing: preparation  and having a plan is the opposite of worrying about the future.

“…God is with us in the present, in this day, in this moment—and that never changes from day to day…”

Preparation and planning happen in the present, today. That is what the text for today is saying. If you start by focusing on the second sentence, things get even clearer. “Each day has enough trouble of its own,” so focus on what you can do today, right now, to make things better today and better tomorrow.

Now I’m not suggesting that we ignore that tomorrow will come and not be prepared for what it might bring. Getting prepared and having a plan for our days (and our life for that matter)  is important.  Here’s the thing: preparation  and having a plan is the opposite of worrying about the future.

Preparation and planning happen in the present, today. That is what the text for today is saying. If you start by focusing on the second sentence, things get even clearer. “Each day has enough trouble of its own,” so focus on what you can do today, right now, to make things better today and better tomorrow.

There is a translation of the bible called The Message. Although I am not a fan of the type and style of the translation in general, sometimes, like now, it is really helpful. It says this:

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Bible Translation: The Message, Matthew 6:34

This next sentence is important, so focus here: God is with us in the present, in this day, in this moment—and that never changes from day to day.

If there are going to be challenges that you know will come tomorrow, then God is with you now to help you prepare, and God is with you tomorrow as you live through those challenge. “No use just fretting about it,” my mother used to say. Just get busy and try to do what you need to do, what you are able to do, right now.

I know I’m a worrier, but I’m working on it. I’m trying to use this unusual moment to make some positive changes. I think we all should give that a try. You can’t plan for everything, so just do the best you can to be prepared and “God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” That’s a great lesson and comfort to me. I suppose shouldn’t have taken a global pandemic to learn this lesson. But whatever it takes, I guess.

Pastor Mark