Jeremiah 29:11 and Matthew 6 -- and what they have to say to us.

Sometimes...
I worry about my future.

I wonder what life has in store for me. 

I say, 'what if...?'
I ponder over *where* life will take me.

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you,' Declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

What do we have to worry about considering the future?   The future is in God's hands.    But somehow, we're constantly worrying about the future.  Sometimes it's just worrying about small things; or maybe it's worrying about big things--like health problems.  But!  Jesus boldly states:

Matthew 6:25 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,...'

   The future really causes us to worry, and here, God tells us that it just isn't necessary to worry about our life; and in terms of our life--the future.  Humans are constantly worrying...but,

 Matthew 6:27 'Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?'  

   ::So true::  Isn't it?  Like I just said, we're not supposed to do any worrying, but, we do it all the time; and, that only makes our life worse.  Consider worrying a bad habit.   Instead of making a new year's resolution to loose 10 pounds--or something of the like--make a resolution to stop worrying.  After all, it is a bad habit.   

   In the midst of all this, a 'problem' could arise; that problem is thinking that we do not have to do anything.  Issues at work can cause one to worry, and I suppose people could take Matthew 6:25 as if it's a token to not work hard... but God loves us to work hard; and he doesn't like laziness.   

Proverbs 4:23  'All hard work brings profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.'  

     So let's take part in the action of the world--in jobs, but not worry.  Let's walk 'with a spring in our step, and a smile on our face'... let's face this work with integrity. Let's tell this world that because of our God, we have nothing to worry about...  In reality, we don't have anything to worry about.  

      If I go back to what I said in the beginning, I would have to make some changes:

Sometimes All the time: 

I don't need to worry about the future--the future is in God's hands. 

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you,' Declares the Lord, 

Life has good things in store for me...

'Plans to prosper you, '

I don't need to say 'what if..' because, God has plans to prosper me and

'And not to harm you'  

 I don't need to ponder over ::where:: life will take me, because,

{God has} 'plans to give you a hope and a future.'