A few weeks ago in church, the lesson was about Not Worrying. And as I walk in and see a table of drinks with umbrellas and palm trees and the band is playing "Don't Worry Be Happy"...I had to laugh to myself. SERIOUSLY?! THIS is the church I've chosen to send me down my path?!
As the sermon went on...I realized how much value I've put lately on items in the world. And here I thought I was an anti-consumerist and greenie when it came to items on the earth. More so though...I've turned my heart and values on the worry of our monthly bills.
On if I can buy that pair of shoes that is needed so badly (i'm talking NEED...holes...falling apart and the ONLY pair of shoes that came close to fighting the owners feet). If I can grocery shop now or do I need to wait till the payday and make due with what is in the freezer and pantry.
I've begun worrying so much...my entire focus each week as I pay the bills is the simple struggle we have. And it's honestly consumed me. I'll save the details of the rest of the sermon for another day...for the power and life-changing experience it was, will take some time in explaining properly.
But I caught hold of the message and knew I needed to change my ways with money and material things. It stung harder as I watched "The Princess and the Frog" with Lola...and the words "he didn't have everything he wanted...but HE HAD WHAT HE NEEDED, LOVE." And I KNEW I needed to turn my heart back around.
And yet again, cause as I've mentioned subtleties don't really work for me and I need quite a few BIG moments and reminders to really get it, the message sounded so true.
Today is payday. A day I have a love/hate relationship with. I was preparing this morning to begin the daunting task of deciding what bills could be paid, needed to be paid and what bills could be pushed further back.
As I began my morning routine and the fret of the day ahead, I sat down to "put my armour on". I'll normally look up some verses referenced on Sunday or that I found the day before while checking on blogs and websites. But this morning I opened it without any idea where to start.
I remembered reading once that if you are trying to familiarize yourself with the Bible, start at Matthew. So I did. And I jumped into Chapter 6: 25-34 as if it was "meant to be" :D
25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing ?
26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life ?
28 "And why are you worried about clothing ? Observe how the lilies of the field grow ; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith !
31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will wear for clothing?'
32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things ; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 "So do not worry about tomorrow ; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
All I can say...money and bills and groceries will not be my worry today.
How do you get through life worries...whatever the may be?
