We worriers feed
life-sucking weeds by nurturing tomorrow's troubles. A mother might fret over
her daughter's future: "My fourteen year-old is being courted by a boy who
doesn't live in a Christian home. What if they become steadies? What if he pressures
her to have sex? What if they are forced to get married? What if the marriage
doesn’t last? My grandchild will grow up in a broken home!"
Jesus taught that a "today" focus will
wilt our worries: "Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." The soil of our lives has
limited nutrients. The challenge for the
mother of this teenage girl is to channel the sap of her life into today's
opportunities -- "What needs does my daughter have today? What book on
dating could we read together? What could I share with her from my morning
Bible study?” Annie Dillard calls "today", "time's live
skin." Today is our only contact with alive time. It is the only time in
which we can enjoy a friendship, commune with God, go for a walk, read a book
with our child, plan for my family's needs. When we feed tomorrow's troubles,
we choke today’s tasks.
Fighting weeds is exhausting. But late summer is not the time to ease up on our toughest and most persistent enemy--who is vigorously birthing thousands of seeds/soldiers
for next year's battles. Execute those worry weeds today and you will reap a harvest of peace tomorrow.
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