Freedom in Lent - Day 22

One of the encouragements in our Christian journey is to learn to let go of worry. Worry is that unproductive concern about what might happen, or the worst that could happen, or fantasies about impending disaster. Jesus encouraged his followers to free themselves from such worries, and see ourselves as embraced within the love of God. 

This isn't, however, a call to carelessness, on the contrary, planning, stewardship, deep commitment to our daily life, work, relationships, the disciplines of love, of being in the moment, to spiritual growth, are all a part of the life of the student of the one we call the Christ. Instead Jesus encourages us to leave the future and the past where they, and concentrate on the present. He echoes other great philosophers as he encourages us to be aware of our inner lives and those things we can control, rather than those things we cannot. He encourages us to pay attention to God, our neighbours, and ourselves, and invest our love and energy there. 

Jesus says, "do not worry" and "do not be afraid."

Jesus said, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

                                                                                Matthew 6.25-34