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Consider the lilies

Don’t worry about tomorrow

Plan for tomorrow, but live today.

Key points

  • What it means: Jesus points at birds and wildflowers. They don’t stress, and they’re cared for.
  • Try this: When a worry loops this week, ask: is there one thing I can do about this today? Do it, and leave the rest for tomorrow.
  • The good news: “Your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.”
In this article
  1. What he said
  2. What it means
  3. At work
  4. With people
  5. The hard part
  6. Try this
  7. The good news

What he said

“Don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

Matthew 6:34

Find it: Matthew 6:25–34

Read Matthew 6:25–34

25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

What it means

Jesus points at birds and wildflowers. They don’t stress, and they’re cared for. “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?”

His answer is about priorities: seek God’s kingdom first, what’s good and right, and the rest falls into place. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

At work

  • Planning is wise. Ruminating isn’t. Do today’s work today.
  • Most of what we dread never happens the way we imagine it.

With people

  • Worry can crowd out the people in front of you. Presence is a gift you can only give today.

The hard part

If worry is constant or stops you living your life, that is anxiety, not a lack of faith, and a doctor or counselor can really help. Jesus is offering rest, not a rule to feel guilty about.

Try this

When a worry loops this week, ask: is there one thing I can do about this today? Do it, and leave the rest for tomorrow.

Go deeper

The good news

“Your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.” You can put the weight down.

Nobody lives this perfectly. How to read it