“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matt. 6:34 NLT)
It wasn’t that long ago that God put it on my heart to write a piece based on this verse, for God was helping me to understand that when I spend my time worrying about tomorrow, I have no resources left over to take care of today’s problems, the ones that WILL abound!
And I’ve been letting this truth wash over my spirit for several weeks now. I won’t say I haven’t forgotten a time or two. Or three or four. Okay, let’s be real, I’ve forgotten it a bunch of times. But each time God has brought this truth back to me: If you don’t spend so much emotional and spiritual energy worrying about tomorrow, you’d have the resources you need to overcome the temptations and the troubles of today!
I guess it is just in my nature to worry about what will be. As a strong “Type A” personality, I thrive best on having a clear-cut plan and my biggest stress comes from when that plan is ripped from my hands.
And that’s where I found myself that night, over a year ago. The world was 21 days into the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the time, and I had been fervently fasting and praying for this situation. But it seemed like my prayers were hitting the ceiling, for things just got worse in the Ukraine. Add to this the fact that the prayers for my son and his research just seemed to be falling into an abyss. And of course, we must add in that his life wasn’t exactly following the path I would have chosen for him, and he seemed determined to continue on his current way. Then there was the new doctor I had met that morning. Despite what I felt were valid medical concerns of my own, she only seemed to care about my husband’s medical problems; and meanwhile, my own concerns continued to worsen. Oh, and let’s not forget that my husband’s positive cognitive changes we had been praising God for over the past couple weeks prior to this incident had all seemed to flee away…
It all accumulated in the evening. My husband did something that reminded me of his cognitive decline. Please understand, I wasn’t angry at him. I was angry at life. Maybe even at God Himself. But when you are angry in general, the ones close to you get the brunt of your anger. Things got worse over the evening, and by bed time, I realized I had to do something. After kissing hubby good night, I disappeared into the basement, where I proceeded to partake in some serious lamenting — Better described as “yelling” at God.
His response?
There wasn’t one. At least not immediately. But He listened patiently until I was emotionally spent. You see, God doesn’t get angry at us when we spill all of our emotions, even the angry ones, on Him! He sees it as a sign of faith that we are willing to come to Him with our troubles! Then, when the volume of my voice finally reduced to a whisper, He covered me with His wings and reminded me that I needed to surrender all of that to Him.
I did, and although I was still very depressed, I was calm, and I was able to sleep a few hours.
Morning arrived, and the calmness stayed with me.
So did the depression…
But in the stillness and the calmness of my mind, I was finally able to hear God’s voice telling me clearly what my problem was: I was grieving the loss of a future that I had written in my mind! I had written a future where the war ended. I had written my son’s future with his research and his paths of life. I had written a future where my husband’s cognition was 100%. I had written a future where my doctor cared about my medical condition and gave me the treatment I needed. I had convinced myself that if my future didn’t happen, then God didn’t care about me and didn’t answer my prayers! And in doing so, I was putting myself in the place of God, for who am I to write ANYONE’S future?
Yes, I know. Repentance was required, and I spent the next little while doing just that. This is when God once again reminded me of Matt. 6:34: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (NLT). You see, in writing a future in my mind that I wanted to see happening, I was worrying about tomorrow. But I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. Only God knows that, and He can be trusted with the future, where I can’t! Meanwhile, while I was writing my own futures, I was completely and totally ignoring the challenges of today. And the devil took advantage of that, big time!
Guess what I spent the next few minutes doing? Yup! Ukraine war outcome — in His hands! I would continue fervent prayer, but I wouldn’t “write” what the answer to those prayers should look like. Instead, I would just believe that God uses my prayers to bring about the best possible outcome.
And my son’s research — along with the paths he has chosen to walk — into God’s hands! I wouldn’t know what God is doing in my son’s life through these hard times, but how could I “shelter” him from the ultimate blessings God wants to bring upon him through the lessons his stubborn research is teaching him, from the current path he has chosen to follow? Then there was my husband’s cognition. Back into God’s hands! His cognition would be returned. God had promised. But I would stop trying to define the how and the when!
It was amazing how much lighter I felt; and what was even more amazing was how much better equipped I was to face the challenges of the day!
Disillusioned by the fact that God doesn’t seem to be answering your prayers? Maybe even a bit angry at the world? Maybe even a bit at … Him? Remember: You can’t write the future. Only He can. And when you do try to write the future, you are, in essence, worrying about tomorrow and prohibiting yourself from having the resources you need to deal with the problems of today. Instead, put your focus on today. You will be amazed how much better today will go when you do. And you’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel as well!
In His love,
Lyn Chaffart
Moderator, Associate Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
