Our Daily Bread: Picking Up the Pieces After Job LossShembull

WHAT, ME WORRY?: Whenever a preacher begins to talk about worry, I sense a pair of eyes staring at me.

Without even turning my head, I know that my husband is looking at me to see if I'm paying attention. I hate to admit it, but I'm a worrier. And precisely because there are a lot of people just like me, Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 6:25-34 when He said: "Do not worry." Don't worry about the basic needs of life: food, clothing, shelter, and don't worry about tomorrow. That's tough to do sometimes. So we need to remind ourselves that God has cared for us in the past, He really is trustworthy, and we can depend on Him rather than on ourselves. Some people expand the worry circle to their families, friends, and churches. They're a lot like the 10 spies in Numbers 13:26-33 who spread their fear and doubt to everyone else. But those who put their trust in God alone can stand alongside Joshua and Caleb, the only ones in the group of 12 who God allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Don't let worries hold you back from what God may be trying to teach you. He invites you to bring your anxious thoughts directly to Him (PHILIPPIANS 4:6). -Cindy Hess Kasper

To be anxious about nothing, pray about everything.