Are We Thankful?
We live in some very troublesome days, where uncertainty seems to follow us everywhere we turn. The threat of war looms in the background, the cost of goods and services continues to rise while wages seem to stagnate, stability feels increasingly fragile, and many people carry quiet worries they rarely speak about.
For some, it’s the pressure of making ends meet. For others, it’s the fear of what tomorrow may bring, whether there will be enough, whether life will improve, or whether things may become harder before they get better.
Even with all our modern comforts and conveniences, anxiety has not disappeared. In many ways, it has simply changed shape. We have more access to information, more technology, and more convenience than ever before, yet many still feel stretched thin, overwhelmed, and uncertain about the future.
Some live pay check to pay check, wondering if what they earn will be enough to keep the bills paid and food on the table. Others carrying the weight of debt, unsure how long they can continue before something gives way.
Even thou we are all in different situations, we all are prone to worry. Whether in deep financial debt, or just a little, or even with a lot, life can be scary, especially when thoughts of losing something, or just not enough to pay for what we need, enters our mind.
Life is undoubtedly easier today than it was 100, or even 1,000 years ago, especially when we consider how much more accessible everything is. like clean water to drink, bath and even swim in, to food even when it may just be at the local soup kitchen or local charity, this was something they had in the distant past but was rare.
Now an important someone said something about 2000 years ago, that we should perhaps consider.
He was homeless man, living day to day, hiding by night, knowing that if He didn’t, they would come sooner rather than later to help Him meet His fate of being wrongfully arrested, falsely accused, tortured, beaten, mocked, humiliated, and murdered at the hands of the authorities, knowing He had a future filled with pain and death.
And yet He said:
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
found in Matthew 6:34
You’ve probably heard this quote before, knowing it was actually Jesus who said it.
And yes, Jesus lived without a home. He lived a nomadic life, travelling from place to place serving others.
It’s something worth pausing and thinking about: the Son of God, God in the flesh, fully man and fully God.“had nowhere to lay His head” at night, living day to day (Matthew 8:20).
I don’t think Jesus is saying we shouldn’t plan, or think about the future, those things are important. I believe He is saying not to live in worry. After doing what we can and taking responsibility, we are to trust Him and be content with whatever provisions life provides.
So when life gets tough know God knows best, and don’t get angry, but trust Him. Sometimes we create pressure without even realising it, through habits and spending choices we’ve grown used to. Things like subscriptions, eating out often, or not taking the time to manage meals at home.
There’s no point being consumed by what you have no control over. Be in the moment, and deal with what’s in front of you first, trusting that you have done all you can to keep moving forward.
I remember meeting a young man on the street and asking him if he was okay. After talking for a little while, he opened up, telling me he had just been evicted from where he was staying and was not sure where he would go. I asked if he wanted any help or if there was anything I could do. His response was “I will be okay, and he would work something out.” Respecting hie decision I decided to pray with him instead.
I then I went into the shop and and when coming out, I noticed the man was still there. He thanked me for my concern, but still had nowhere to go. He said he had been down this road before. I asked him, how can you be so calm with no real insight into where you will sleep tonight?
He said he had a few options and was waiting for some local hostels to call him back, as they were all full at the time and he was waiting for a vacancy. He also said that from past experience, he knows not to let worry cloud his thoughts, because it only spirals you downward and affects your judgment.
This really set me back, they very wise words and coming from someone so young it really got me wondering, was I trusting God, as this young man was.
He thanked me for my concern, and after asking again if there was anything I could do, he said, “I am okay. It’s nice to know people care. Thank you.”
So yes, plan, prepare, and organise, but once you do leave it to God
Because in that same chapter, Jesus also said:
“Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
Not that God will give us everything we ask for, but He will provide us with what we need. Not always at the level we expect, but enough, and sometimes even in abundance.
The key here is, don’t worry about things you can’t fix or change. Leave those things to God. Yes, do all you can, but then rest in His provision with contentment and thankfulness.
Every struggle has purpose, meaning, and value when we choose to see it with gratitude.
