Trusting In the Father's Plans
Timothy E. Davis

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

Worry. It is a small word with big consequences. It is responsible for ulcers, panic attacks, heartburn, migraines, sick days and even hospitalizations. Pharmacies fill millions of sleep and anxiety prescriptions each year. Worry has become as American as apple pie. We worry over being too fat, too skinny, high cholesterol, low cholesterol, bladder control issues, osteoporosis, hair loss, botox, denture cleaners, mucus, psoriasis, excess gas, toenail fungus and bird flu! We bring our worries home from work. We toss and turn at night because of our worries. Then, when we finally do get to sleep, they even invade our dreams!

The Bible tells us we should not worry. Jesus describes a worrying believer as not much better than a pagan. He assures us our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and tells us if we give God first place in our lives; He will not fail to provide for us. Our Redeemer also asks us if worrying can accomplish any good at all, because it can not add even one hour to our lives. When a believer worries, we are saying we do not have trust in the ability Our Creator to provide for us. We are telling Jehovah that we do not trust Him to fulfill His promises! An earthly Father would be grieved if he knew that his children did not believe in his ability to provide for his family. How much more, then, must our Heavenly Father be grieved when His children lack confidence in His ability to provide for them?

The Apostle Paul tells us that our Master wants us to be anxious over nothing, but to make our needs known through prayer and trust Him to provide them. Paul says that instead of a spirit of worry we are to have a spirit of peace, peace so deep it can not be understood by human standards! The Apostle Peter tells us that Our King wants to carry our burdens and cares for us; He loves us and does not want to see us struggling through our lives. Most every earthly parent can understand the hurt they have when they watch their children worry and struggle through life. How much more true it must be to our Father in Heaven who watches us, His children, constantly struggle and worry!

What then, my Brothers and Sisters in faith, must we do to stop grieving The Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? We must align our lives with His will, confidently trusting in the bright future promised us. If we leave the future in God's capable hands, we can stop being distracted from what our Eternal King wants us to do today by worrying so much about tomorrow.