One Day At A Time
By Allan E. McNabb

I’ve been thinking about how Christians take life one day at a time, and the hymn recorded by Bill and Gloria Gaither with the same title came to mind, “One Day At A Time”.

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow
Jesus commands us not to worry about tomorrow.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).

In the context, Jesus gives the essential components to living without worry, which we discuss in the remainder of this article.

Seek First God’s Kingdom and Righteousness
To live one day at a time, and not worry about tomorrow, we have to put God first in our lives.  We completely dedicate our lives to serving Him, above all others and everything else.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  So do not worry about tomorrow . . .” (Matt. 5:33).

When we have this commitment, we rise above worry.  All we care about is doing our best today, and serving God as He commands.  We let God deal with tomorrow, as we focus on doing everything we can for the cause of His kingdom.

So with our lives centered on God, unencumbered from stresses that weigh down the world, we excel in every facet of life – as members of the church, in our families, and in our careers.

Don’t Be of “Little Faith”
If we believe as we should, we won’t worry about tomorrow.  We’ll live one day at a time, focused on serving God the best we can.
“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?  You of little faith” (Matt. 6:30)!

So if we’re worried about tomorrow, the problem is with our faith.

We need to increase our faith with the word of God, applying it to our lives, growing and coming to the full knowledge of God (Rom. 1:16; 10:17; 2 Pet. 1:2-11).

God Knows What You Need, And Will Provide
In commanding us not to worry about tomorrow, Jesus tells us that God knows all our needs, and will supply the necessities of life.  If we believe Jesus, we won’t worry.
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matt. 5:31-32).

Just as God takes care of the birds, lilies and grass, He takes care of us (Matt. 6:26, 28, 30).
God knows everything about us, even how many hairs are on our heads.  So we don’t fear what people may do to us, and don’t worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:26-30; 10:28-39).

Sometimes the problem is that we’re afraid to only accept what God gives us, wanting to make sure all our desires are filled.  So we worry about tomorrow, unable to bear the thought of having less than we want, or less than someone else.

Again, this gets to our attitude and commitment.  If we’re committed to seeking God first, we won’t be like unbelievers who are focused on possessions and wealth.  As long as we’re in a right relationship with God, things of the world won’t matter, and we won’t worry about tomorrow.

Worry Doesn’t Help
Jesus points out the irony of this whole discussion, in that worry doesn’t help.  We can’t change anything by worrying.
“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life” (Matt. 6:27)?

Science confirms that worry decreases performance.  Many people spend thousands of dollars on psychologists and life coaches to decrease worry and increase performance.  But most of them fail, and worry continues because they aren’t approaching it from a Biblical perspective.

Worry can only be eliminated with a strong faith in God, putting Him first in everything.

As a result, Christians are the most successful people in life, first and foremost in our spiritual lives, and also in our physical lives.

Don’t Store Up Treasure on Earth
Immediately before commanding us not to worry, Jesus commands us not to store up treasures on earth, but to store them up in heaven.  We can’t serve two masters; we’ll either hate the one and love the other, or we’ll be devoted to one and despise the other (Matt. 6:19-24).

Jesus connects these two teachings, so understanding their relationship is important.

Because God is first in our lives, we aren’t worried about tomorrow.  So we’re not striving for material wealth, because we’re striving to serve God.

If God blesses us with material wealth, we’re happy and content, using our blessings to His glory.  But if God doesn’t bless us with material wealth, we’re just as happy and content, using our blessings in His kingdom.  Wealth doesn’t matter, just serving God, and working in His kingdom.

Conclusion
As Christians, we take life one day at a time.

We don’t worry about tomorrow, happy and content with our blessings, successful in every aspect of life because we put God first in everything.