Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow

Sometimes I dread the fun things. Do you ever feel like that? You made plans, it's on the calendar, but now that it's time, you just want to stay home under a blankie with a good book? All of us have at one time or another said these words: "I know that once I get there, it'll be fine. But right now, I just don't want to go." We dread and we fret and we complain, but sure as shootin', once we're there, we have a blast!

Sometimes I dread the not so fun things. A doctor's appointment. A root canal. A meeting with someone who is difficult. Even though I love, love, love my hairdresser, I dread hours in the chair, while she works the strange magic on my gray blond hair.

We can ruin an entire day, TODAY, worrying about and dreading tomorrow. While we fixate on the test results, the meeting, the conversation, or the made-up scenarios we play over and over in our mind about tomorrow...the clock is ticking away on today.

I believe that it's all rooted in fear. While certainly there are issues and situations that we need to be concerned with, is our dread and our worry based on fear? I think so, and I think that Jesus thought so too. How many times in our Bibles do we read the words, "Fear not", and "Don't be afraid"? If Jesus was on Twitter, I think that His favorite hash tag would be #donotbeafraid.

Think about it. Today is yesterday's tomorrow.
 
What did you worry about yesterday? Did it come to pass today? Probably not. In the meantime, you missed all the good that was yesterday. You didn't smell the flowers. You were only half present in that conversation. Your stomach was in knots and you didn't eat well. You tossed and turned all night. You didn't even notice the gifts that God had placed all around you, because you were fixated on tomorrow. Now tomorrow is here and what? Most likely you're exhausted and feeling pretty darn bad. For what?

My four year old granddaughter, Ashton, has the right philosophy. Whatever she doesn't want to do today, she says, "We'll do it tomorrow." After making that statement, she puts the issue out of her mind, and more often than not, never thinks about it again. Not even tomorrow, because when tomorrow comes, it's not an issue any more. And most of the time, sweet thing, it's not!

Mark Twain said, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.” Ain't it the truth?

Corrie Ten Boom said, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

And my all out favorite, Scarlet O'Hara said, "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." What a scholar! Fiddle-dee-dee!

Beloved, God has not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1: 7) He loves you so very much and "there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear". (1 John 4: 18)

Your enemy and mine, the accuser of the brethren, and the father of lies wants to paralyze you. He knows that you will be useless and ineffective for the Kingdom of God when you are frozen with fear. Don't give him more credit than he is due when it comes to what he can accomplish in your life and circumstances. Remember that he must first appear and present himself before the Lord, and ask permission to lay one bony, shriveled up finger on your sweet life. (Job 1-2)

I can't make you a fool-proof promise that what you fear will not happen at one time or another. But if it does...if it does...know that God is with you. Know that He is a very present help in time of trouble. Know that one sweet day your problem will be eclipsed by His glory.  He will never let go of you. He's got you in the calm and in the storm, in the highs and in the lows, in the valley and on the mountaintop. 

As for today, if we worry about it all day, we'll go crazy. Let's think about that tomorrow.

Fiddle-dee-dee!

Linking with Rachel
...and May Day Follower Fest 



 

23 comments:

  1. From the first "Did God really say ...?" until today, the enemy is all about mind games isn't he? Thanks for sharing ... and the reminders ... may I continue to loosen my grip on control and fear and pull closer to Christ.

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks for sharing GOd's inspirational word. Take one day at a time and enjoy it. It's God's gift to us:) Visiting from On your Heart Tuesdays

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh wow, Donna, I am overwhelmed with emotion after reading this. God works in ways that leave me in absolute awe. He meant for this post to be worded the way it was and published exactly when it was for a reason. Friend, print this off and tape it to your refridgerator or somewhere that you'll see it daily. I went before the throne in prayer for you this morning. God's got this! Love you!! I hope you don't mind but I will be sharing the link to your post on my fan page, in twitter, and with a very special group of women who I know will be blessed by these words.


    Sending you a great big virtual hug!
    Rosann

    ReplyDelete
  4. hi neighbor...great reminder...if we live in the what ifs...we miss living the what is...great post...blessings~

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, I need to hear these words over and over. I'm so trying to let go of my sin of worrying about tomorrow. The Lord is helping me but I still have a ways to go.

    Love this:
    If Jesus was on Twitter, I think that His favorite hash tag would be #donotbeafraid.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. absolutely love the mark twain quote, wrote it down in my notebook for later....worry will certainly rob us of the opportunity of today....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for this; some wise words. Most of what we worry about will not even happen. Great things to think about.

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh my goodness. i do that with my plans and say that all the time! {I'm sure it will be fine once i get there...} i even do it about vacation. how sad is that. such a good reminder about worry. And being a girl who was named after Gone with the Wind, i always love a good Scarlet O'Hara quote :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh friend. i love this. everything about it. and what a brilliant title...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Donna, this is wonderful! When I was a young girl, one of the verses we memorized as a family is "sufficient unto each day are the trials thereof". I've lived by this motto, and it has helped me through cancer, a heart condition, and my daughter's life threatening brain infection. Now, she is special needs, and it would be easy to get trapped worrying about whether or not she'll ever be "normal". Instead, we choose to focus on the delightful ways she is different and what she adds to our family because of it. Tomorrow we will deal with all the worries - today we're going to enjoy what God's given us!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am so like that sometimes. Often I'll take the book with me and end up never reading it. And yes, worry gives me nothing but more gray hair. That I don't need :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. i love how much freedom we have when we obey Truth. do not worry? okay, i won't. aww, life is so much easier this way. now to only obey!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the Corrie Ten Boom quote. It's hard not to worry but so much better for us when we lean on God.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is my first visit to your blog. Have you been watching my life? I am such a worrier. I dig myself out of the pit of worry to slip right back in. Just yesterday, my son said, Mom you are giving satan too much credit. (hard swallow)...he is RIGHT!! and he is only 15! Thank God that what he has been taught is sticking. Now if only I could practice what I preach. Thanks for this. I believe I will print it out so that I can read it over and over.
    I am your newest follower (Bible Love Notes blog hopper!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Piper! I am so blessed to hear that God spoke to you through these words. Believe me, I was preaching it to myself as well! Abundant blessings to you, my friend!

      Delete
  15. It's good to think about these things and look at our worries from the right perspective. Thanks for sharing on B&BB on Bible Love Notes. I pray your week is especially blessed.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like Scarlet's quote also!

    I have found that many of my worries and "What ifs" never come to pass. You would think I would have learned to stop worrying by now, but I'm guilty of letting those little fears creap in.

    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  17. He is Emmanuel - God With Us! Whom or what shall we fear?! Thank you for a beautiful post.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have no care, my cares are His. I have no fear, He cares for all my fears.
    Beautiful post!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Terrific post! Hugs and thank you for joining in the hop fun. xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. I can sure relate to this, Donna. Many things I "worried" about, or dreaded never came to pass. Other things weren't as bad as I had envisioned them to be. This is a lesson I'm slow to learn. Thank you for the encouragement. I know God is in control and there really is nothing to fear, but my human side forgets this at times.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

    ReplyDelete
  21. How do you know me so well? Yes, guilty as charged of worrying too much today on things that I really will not remember in a month:( Thank you for the message you gave me today. Just hopping over from the May Day Blog Hop and am now following you. I would love for you to link any of your posts to my first ever Blog Hop. Hope to see you there:)

    ReplyDelete