"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." Corrie Ten Boom
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25
Consternation: “feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected” New Oxford American Dictionary
The Lord will provide. As I was thinking about what to write in today’s message about worry, I realized I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to write sufficiently about the topic. But as I sat trying to think about what to say, the words, “the Lord will provide” popped into my head. I’ve literally written hundreds of these messages and hundreds have started out this way. When there’s nothing I can say, I begin to write. And it seems the Lord has always provided something. I’ll admit it, I’m not qualified to write about inspiration, or wisdom, or knowledge, or anything of the sort. But there’s a goal behind The Daily Self Growth Journal, so I can’t let my worries get in the way of progress. At some point, whether I have something to say or not, I have to write. Every day, worry prevents a breakthrough somewhere in the world. Every day, somebody lets worry stand in the way of their dreams. The problem is, it has become acceptable for people to allow problems to become unsolvable because of consternation. But when a problem is big enough, we all know there’s no time to worry. Remember the crew of Apollo 13? They were on the other side of the moon without enough oxygen to return home. They were going to die in space unless they solved their problem. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that every second counted. There was no time to worry because reality dictated their schedule. In the end, the crew solved their problem and returned home safely because they approached their situation through the realization of reality, instead of the anxiety of imaginary events created by worry. That’s not to say there wasn’t stress, there was plenty of that, but they didn’t let it affect what they had to do. How much better off would we be if we approached problems without worry. If we saw challenges as problems to be solved, instead of mysteries to be worried about. How much better off would we be if we all realized we have a loving God that will provide. With heaven in store, is there really that much to worry about after all?
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone today?
What act of kindness did I perform today?
What did I learn today?
Who did I love today?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thank you so much for reading, it means a ton to me.
Jake
