Worry

This weeks gospel lesson comes from Matthew 6:24-34 and focuses on worry. Jesus advises us to "not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Easier said than done.

I am becoming more of a worrier everyday. I worry about my own life, my family, my house, my community, my health, my friends' health, the state of the world, hunger, war, lonliness, children without families, families without children, and everything else there is to worry about in the world.

I know that worrying won't add a hour to my life, but I still find myself occupied with anxious thoughts about the world around me.

Worry is unavoidable. However, I do think that this passage still calls for a healthy kind of worry. Love necessarily requires that we worry for the other person - that we worry for the well being of others. Yet the power of the gospel within this worry motivates us to not just dwell on the worry, but to act out our nervousness. We need to seek ways to shout out our worry in prophetic tones and work to alleviate our worries throught the mission and power of Christ.

We need to harness our worry and turn it into actions.

I say all of this as I worry about the upcoming birth of my son and I worry what kind of father I will be. Instead of worrying, I need to put this anxiousness into my efforts to care for, love, and support my family.

Have a wonderful, worry-free week!

Pastor Andrew