Have you ever spent a lot of time thinking/wondering/worrying about tomorrow or next week or next month or what’s going to happen a couple years from now? Yeah. Me too. A lot actually.

A few months ago, I was talking with one of my co-workers about a long list of things that was weighing heavily on my mind and heart. I was about to start a full time position here at camp, move away from home (Wisconsin) permanently, and I just wasn’t sure how it was all gonna work out. I kept saying “what if this” or “what if that.” I worked myself up so much, I was in tears. My co-worker sat across from me with a smile on his face, graciously hearing me out. When I was done he looked at me and spoke some words that I will never forget. It went a little something like this: “Ya know, Molly, every day when I wake up I pray the same thing. I say, ‘God, give me today my daily bread.’ I ask God to help me see what He wants me to get done today. Not tomorrow or next week or even next year. I try to keep my mind on what needs to get done today and ask God to provide for just that. And you know what, Molly? He does. Every time. It doesn’t do any good to worry about something that hasn’t even happened yet. Most of the time you’re creating situations that won’t even come to pass. So, when you get up in the morning, ask God to give you your daily bread…just what you need for the day.”

I sat there for a while, not really sure what to say. I guess it was so hard to wrap my head around the thought of living a day at a time…so contrary to wanting to have my future all figured out and planning…and, in all reality, trying to control every outcome before it even came to pass. I started realizing that, even though it’s not wrong to plan or to hope for things, I was missing out on so much that was happening every day, in the here and now. I was letting worry dictate my thoughts.

Now, I am by no means super great about living fully present in each day. I still think about my future, what’s going to happen tomorrow or how I am going to handle different situations. But I can tell you this: some of my most joy-filled days have been when I have fully trusted God to provide what HE knows I need for the day…when I have rested completely in Him and His sufficiency. Recently the Lord whispered to my heart, “Live within the parameters of today.” It has been such a freeing process…and one I am excited to continue with Jesus by my side.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:27, 34