May 17, 2024 Devo

At a conference last year at the University of Navarra in Spain, Dr Marian Rojas was making a presentation on stress and anxiety. In that presentation, she stated that when we experience a state of alert caused by anxiety or fear, cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone,” is activated. Our body responds with all kinds of negative results from our hair falling out to loss of sleep to heart rhythm issues. Also, the prefrontal cortex of the brain begins to deactivate. That’s the part responsible for concentration, problem-solving, and impulse control. As she summarized these remarks, she added the additional finding: Studies show that 90% of what we worry about never happens. And the additional 10% that does happen is usually not nearly as bad as we feared. Her conclusion: We need to find a different approach to the problems we face.
In our verse today, Jesus says the same thing. “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” The answer is obviously “No.” In fact, all worry does is shorten your life. Worry changes absolutely nothing about what’s going to happen tomorrow, next week, or next year. All worry does is steal the joy and the productivity out of today. But if we’re not going to worry, then what CAN we do? Glad you asked.
We can pray. Paul tells us in Philippians that we are to not worry about anything, but pray about everything. Take your concerns to God. Write down your fears, and lay them before Him. Let the Comforter draw near to you in your time of fear and surround you with His love. We can also turn to the Scriptures. Especially the promises of God. As we read God’s promises, we remember who He is and what He can do. As we reflect on what God has done in days gone by, it gives us assurance of what He will do in the days ahead. And we can worship. Worship is a language of the soul. When we worship, we lose ourselves in the goodness and faithfulness of God. Our souls quiet down, and our faith rises up.
Don’t let worry steal one more hair off your head or one more moment of your life. Don’t spend one more second of this gift called Today worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow. Like I read on a church sign many years ago, before you go to bed tonight, give all your problems to God. He’s going to be up all night anyway. That’s God’s Word for you today.