Tomorrow, Tomorrow . . .

I attend Bible study with the New Covenant Presbyterian Church college and career group practically every Tuesday night. For the past few weeks, we've been watching John Piper's Battling Unbelief conference series on DVD. Although I must confess that I'm generally EXHAUSTED by the time I get to study and occasionally have to get loving "Er, you're snoozing" pokes from friends, the sermon from two weeks ago really struck home. I'm a thinker. That doesn't mean that I'm some deep thinking genius, it means that I think about things, analyze things in my mind (okay, so maybe I OVERanalyze sometimes), and like to plan ahead. Well, maybe "plan ahead" isn't the best way to put it . . . worry ahead is probably a more accurate term. Regardless of how it's stated, I sometimes worry myself into the future. "How am I going to get through THAT?!?"and "What if I FAIL?!?" and "What if I'm not accepted?" and "What will . . ." As these thoughts swirl through my mind, they get faster and grow larger until I'm in complete panic mode sometimes. There is nothing wrong with planning ahead, but doing so anxiously is WRONG. Piper really emphasized that in his sermon. I learned a lot that night. Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own. How will I ever get through tomorrow when I can barely STAND after today? Do not worry, God gives enough grace each morning to get you through the day. As of right now, I CAN'T get through tomorrow. I don't have the strength and God hasn't given it to me. But He will tomorrow. God will never give me more than I can bear. Each day is enough for itself. "Plug away, pray, and get through today" is my motto for today. It will be my motto tomorrow, the next day, and the next--but I'm trying not to think about those now because TODAY is my focus. If I am so worried about tomorrow, then I'm obviously NOT paying enough attention to the work/responsibilities at hand. I must do all I can to honor and glorify God and He has commanded my BEST. Performing at the max requires attention, energy, and thought . . . so does worrying. Personally, I believe that a conscious choice must be made to NOT worry (and that desire is granted by God, of course) and then prayed into my life. If I could take all the emotion and time that I have ever wasted in worry and then apply it to my life now, I'd be like Superwoman with limitless supplies of energy and time (the thing I seem to lack the most these days). That being said, I have a three hour class that begins in thirty minutes and the coffee is calling my name.