Matthew 6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Square in the center of the Sermon on the Mount, in the last verse of the sixth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives us this advice: don’t worry about whatever has you down. A few verses earlier, in verse 27, he poses this related challenge: “And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” There is so much in the Sermon on the Mount on which I feel so convicted: The Lord’s Prayer? Got it. Don’t judge, so you may not be judged? Check (well, basically). Beware of false prophets? Of course! The Beatitudes? Be-autiful! Don’t worry about things. Er… wait a minute… I’m not sure I have that one down. Don’t get me wrong — I try not to worry. It’s just that I try, and most often, I fail. How does one not worry with all the chaos in the world? How does one not worry with the turmoil we so often find in our daily lives? Believe me — there is plenty to worry about, as I’m sure you’re aware. Have you seen the news? Have you seen social media?? Even if I somehow avoid the news and social media, I don’t have to look further than the to-do list on my desk or consider the many things I still need to accomplish in various other aspects of my life or think about all the plates I have spinning or need to get spinning soon. Stress and worry are regular parts of life, unfortunately. But, taking a step back, I look back at what Jesus actually said here. He didn’t say that there aren’t these worries. In fact, he fully acknowledged that they are here today and will be here tomorrow. His point, I think, is not that worries and troubles should not, or at least will not, affect us. His point is that God is here to ease our burdens. His point is that the love of our Creator, our Father, is a love that will help us through those worries. His point is that this kind of trust in our Lord can bring us release. Recently, I was having a really difficult time in which I felt like things were just piling on, one after another. I was doing my best, but I just felt like I was drowning. A friend sent me an email saying that she saw this and thought I was doing a great job handling it all. It was a short word of encouragement, but when I received it, my eyes instantly welled up, and tears started to fall. Friends, it’s amazing the power that simply feeling seen and validated can have to alleviate stress and worry. So often, when we think about being the hands and feet of Christ, we think about service projects and charity work. That day, though, my friend was the hands and feet of Christ. She saved me from drowning by throwing the life preserver of encouragement. My prayer is that I may do the same for others. Let us pray. God, help us to continue to grow in trust of you, and help us to alleviate the stress and worry of others when we can. Amen. This devotion was written and read by Dwight Dockery. Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected]. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at

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