Practicing Resurrection - Trust

Matthew 6. 25 - 34

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

As a compulsive worrier, this passage has always gotten my attention. It was my grandmother's favorite passage, so I suppose I come by worry rightly. There are many personality tests that try to explain why we worry, but I think the reason is clear. We worry because we do not trust. We cannot know what lies ahead, but we can trust that God is there before we are to catch us when we fall. We cannot control the well being of our loved ones or ourselves, but we can trust that God will make God's self known in the midst of whatever struggle we face. If God clothes the lilies of the field so beautifully, how much more will God care for us. Worry is a waste of time and energy. As the passage above says, "And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?"

Another way I relieve myself of worry is by reciting the 23rd psalm over and over. Each line brings comfort in various situations. I pray it for people I love who are suffering..."The Lord is my friend's shepherd, my friend shall not want..." "Yeah though my friend walks through the valley of the shadow of death, she will fear not evil." I am sure we all have various prayers committed to memory which we can call on to remind us to trust God in the face of worry.

On a lighter note, Bobby McFerrin made famous the line "Don't worry, be happy!" I would suggest Don't Worry, Be Happy and Trust might be a healthier way to be. But just singing this song relieves me a bit from worrying about what this day might bring. Give it a try!