All That Really Matters
Rather listen to this blog? Listen to “All That Really Matters.”
Hi, I’m Lexi, and I’m a worryholic. From big to small, it doesn’t matter what the potential problem is, I will undoubtedly freak out about it. I could have a project due two weeks from now for work and worry every single night that it won’t be done in time even though I’ve never missed a deadline in my life. It’s something I struggle with less than I used to, thankfully, now that I’ve grown closer to God in my faith walk.
COVID-19 has done a number on many people’s mental health, and I don’t think I’ve come out unscathed…I just hide it very well. However, the pandemic wasn’t without its blessings, either. With more people becoming used to video chatting due to social distancing recommendations, we moved our weekly women’s Bible study online and even took up a second one because we didn’t have to commute anywhere and could easily invite other ladies from out of state.
Because many places had to shut down temporarily (and some, sadly, forever), there wasn’t much else to do but find ways to occupy ourselves with what we had at home. I can only read so many comic books, play so many video games, and watch so much TV before I get bored, and admittedly, reading the Bible came last in that lineup (something I’m not proud of, but have gotten much better about).
But, thanks to the increase in preparation I had to do for our Bible studies, I started not only reading my Bible more but also taking notes and saving verses and phrases I liked in the notes section of my phone. After a while, I noticed a pattern: the vast majority of them were about learning to trust God and let go of anxiety.
Today, I’d like to share two of those notes with you.
The first is an often-quoted verse - Matthew 6:34 - which states, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
As I’m working, I find myself worrying about upcoming assignments before I’ve even completed the one I’m working on. I take a great deal of pride in the quality of my work, and I’ve come to understand worry for what it really is – a distraction. When my mind is hung up on something off the radar, I can’t uphold my duties as a writer. Readers deserve quality articles, and I can’t produce them if I’m too busy thinking about what hasn’t even been written yet.
Not only this, but worrying makes me a hypocritical Christian. If I love and trust the Lord to take care of me, why would I worry about dropping the ball? You learn to control what you actually have power over and trust God with what you don’t. It’s easier said than done…trust me, I know. But if you truly give whatever you are working on your all, God will take care of the rest and ensure everything turns out the way it was meant to. This doesn’t mean the result will always be positive, but you are guaranteed to learn and grow from the outcome regardless…and that’s a win, even if you don’t realize it at the time.
The second is a line I heard during a Bible study lead by a speaker and author named Jennie Allen. In a session during her series called “Get Out of Your Head,” she said, “If Jesus came back tomorrow, would what you’re currently worried about really matter?”
Spoiler alert: the answer 100% of the time is going to be “No, I guess not.” Even the largest worries that loom over our heads would become complete non-issues the second we see our Savior’s face. I mean, for all we know, we could wake up tomorrow and be in His arms. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, and this is why we need to live every day like it’s our last.
I don’t mean we need to go out and do something dumb like we won’t be around to suffer the consequences; I mean we need to do everything in our power to focus on the now because we might never again get the chance to sip our favorite tea, hug a parent or friend, or turn in the best piece of work we’ve ever done up until that point. The only worry we should have at the end of the day is, “Did I try my best to show the love of Christ to others today?” Because in the end, when Jesus comes back, that’s all that will really matter.
