Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
John 16:33
Troubles in this World
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 20:24-29
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
I must admit that I am a sinner...But still Jesus tells us not to worry, but I have never been able not to worry...My Mother used to tell me that my Great-Grandmother was a worrier (but also a believer), and maybe I take after her...I sometimes go overboard in my worries and they take off in the form of anxiety...So even Jesus tells me and us not to worry sometimes I worry for days and ruminate in the troubles I am having...
Jesus tells us we will have troubles in this world and then He adds we are not to worry...But we should take heart, because He has overcome this world...There are some who are able to completely turn everything over to God and His Son and they do not worry, even with their expected troubles that they will have on earth...I think since He has told me not to worry, and I continue to do so, that is probably another sin (of mine)...Jesus tells me not to, but I somehow (although I do not want to) continue on with my worries...
I think in our troubles and our worries, Jesus is there with us...He is near us, trying to help and give us comfort...In our times of troubles and worries, we may learn something about ourselves...In some sufferings (but not all), there are lessons...In the depths of our deepest worry or fear, believers wonder where He is...He is there, and only our faith is the hope we feel when we are abandoned and alone in our sufferings...Yet regardless, we are still made in His image...Let us realize, Jesus is on His knees praying with us when are in trouble and praying (remembering He is there all along)...
When we reflect on our tough times and troubled times in our lives, we may learn a lesson or lessons about ourselves...We just may learn that we had a difficult time growing up or a difficult time in our childhood...Thinking about the lessons we have learned in life is hard to do sometimes, especially in the middle of our worries, troubles, and sufferings...To even want to reflect back on our worst of times is difficult...I myself, get so caught up in the thought of the current moment, sometimes I an overwhelmed...But if we look sometimes a certain circumstance brings a specific purpose of teaching and a valuable and important lesson...When have hope in our faith, we must take heart...We are made in God's image...Jesus has overcame this world, and is there for us and with us...This alone is hope...
Jesus knows us completely...He knows when we are suffering...He healed so many people in Israel when He walked the earth...Yet, He did not heal all the sick, ill, and injured in the entire nation of Israel, but He could have...All the people in Israel did not get to see Him, hear Him, or experience Him...For those He did not heal, but heard of Him, He gives hope...This hope, this faith is everything...We are still blessed even if we have never seen Him, and yet still believe...