Don’t Worry, Be Thankful
Now that we all have been living we the global reality of COVID-19, I thought it would be a good time to check in and see where everyone is at in all of this.
If you are living in the U.S., you have probably have dealt with the runs on bottled water, sanitizer, and toilet paper, empty shelves (I still can’t find rice!), social distancing, wearing masks, school closures, job layoffs, sick friends or family members, stay-at-home orders, watching press conferences, etc. I am sure you can add more to this list!
Our lives look nothing like they did a few months ago. How are you coping with all the changes?
We have some long days ahead of us and, no doubt, more will change.
When things are so uncertain, it is easy to focus on all of the problems, the things we don’t have, the what-ifs and the might-bes. We plan, worry, try to fix, worry some more…it’s a never-ending cycle.
It is so easy for me to slip into this mode of thinking! As you can imagine, it is unproductive, self-defeating, and it destroys the enjoyment of the here & now! One of our pastors recently said something that really resonated with me: “Suffering pain today on behalf of a tomorrow that hasn’t happened is not doing you any good.” (Pastor Jay Alexander) Oh, how true that is!
In Matthew 6:25-34 (my go-to verses when I am stressed), Jesus talks about being anxious and not worrying about tomorrow. I won’t quote the whole section here, but He ends with:
Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (ESV)
What a great reminder this is!
The Lord has been challenging me to instead focus on what I do have and be thankful. Thankful for His provision. Thankful for the things I tend to take for granted…time with family, my church, my co-workers, my job, the direction that He provides me daily. Even the nice bed I sleep in and the ten-year old hand-me down clothes from my daughter that I still wear around the house.
I cannot list all the verses in the Bible that talk about being thankful, but I will summarize with this one:
Ephesians 5:18b-20 “But be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (NKJV)
When I start thinking about all that I do have and all that He has done for me, it completely changes my mindset. He has provided so abundantly, how can I help but be thankful? What a faithful Father He is!
This season has been so challenging, but do not give worry and anxiety a place in your thoughts. Instead, focus on Him, who He is, His promises, what He has done and be thankful! Walk in His victory, my friends!
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