Last year was a very difficult year for our family. My mother and my mother-in-law both died within a period of three months. Then my wife was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. She was in hospital for five weeks. There were so many things to worry about and so many things to do that it was hard to decide what to do next. I wondered: What will next year bring?

During this time, I happened to read this passage:

Matthew 6:34 – Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

Following its advice, I started every day by asking the question "What do I have to do today?" I found that if I concentrated on facing life one day at a time, problems became manageable.

I remember reading an interview with a person who was a recovering alcoholic. He said, "When I think about the past, I become resentful. When I think about the future, I get scared. Any day when I think about today is a good day." We can't change the past, and the future is very hard to predict. But if we concentrate on doing the best we can, day by day, there is much that we can accomplish with God's help. It is a wonderful way to decrease our anxiety.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of today. Help us to live this day the best that we can, releasing the past to You and trusting You for the future. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Richard Frith <richard111@hotmail.com>
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Send your feedback to the author