Momentum For Monday, July 1st 2024

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

For the last year or so, I've been under an abnormal amount of stress. I don't say this to complain or sound like a victim because I know we all have our problems, some worse than others. However, I say it as a confession.

What I've realized is that my normal way of coping isn't working anymore. My ability to manage the stress has been rather poor. And now, it has taken a toll on my body. I hate to see it, but the realization has brought me to rely on God in a deeper way.

The very first verse I could comprehend from Scripture when I started reading the Bible were these words that Jesus spoke in Matthew's account. Lately, I've been reminded of them and have had to lean on them a lot. They were challenging to me as a teenager and they challenge me yet again several years later.

Worry may not add an hour to our life, but it can sure subtract some. The remedy in all of this is trusting in the love of God for our lives as his dear children. It's a simple statement, but it's far from easy to do when the life gets extremely difficult.

The beautiful thing is that Jesus knew stress. Praying in the garden of Gethsemane as he was about to face crucifixion and death, he sweat blood. The sweating of blood (also known as hematohidrosis) occurs because of extreme physical or emotional distress.

Our Savior faced extreme stress and anxiety to provide us a way through it. He overcame it all to give us a way to overcome it. And if anything this week, I'll be preaching this to myself.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

1 Peter 5:7