TOMORROW ISN'T EVEN HERE—AND YOU'RE ALREADY WORRIED
Stop Living on the “What If” Theory
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” — Matthew 6:34 (KJV)
Tomorrow isn't even here yet—and you're already worried about it.
What if this happens?
What if that happens?
What if I lose my job?
What if the money doesn't come?
What if the doctor gives me bad news?
What if my children make the wrong decisions?
What if my marriage doesn't work out?
What if the economy gets worse?
What if something happens while I'm traveling?
What if I don't have enough?
What if my plans fall apart?
What if God doesn't answer the way I'm hoping?
What if? What if? What if?
Before long, you've lived through a dozen disasters that haven't even happened.
That's how many people live.
I call it the:
“WHAT IF” THEORY
We take something that could happen, imagine that it will happen, convince ourselves that it has practically already happened, and then begin suffering emotionally from something that may never happen at all.
And Jesus says:
STOP BORROWING TROUBLE FROM TOMORROW.
YOU ARE WORRYING ABOUT A DAY THAT HASN'T ARRIVED
Think about that.
Tomorrow is not here.
You haven't lived one second of it.
You haven't faced one problem from it.
You haven't received one phone call from it.
You haven't opened one bill from it.
You haven't experienced one disappointment from it.
And yet mentally, some of us have already moved into tomorrow and started fighting battles that don't exist today.
Jesus knew we would do this.
That's why He said:
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow...” — Matthew 6:34
He wasn't teaching irresponsibility.
He wasn't saying:
“Don't plan.”
Scripture teaches wisdom, preparation, stewardship, and responsibility.
Jesus was saying:
DON'T WORRY.
Planning says:
“I'll prepare wisely for tomorrow.”
Worry says:
“I'll emotionally live tomorrow before tomorrow arrives.”
There is a tremendous difference.
THE “WHAT IF” THEORY WILL WEAR YOU OUT
The problem with “what if” is that there is almost no end to it.
What if I get sick?
But what if you don't?
What if I lose my job?
But what if you don't?
What if something happens to my children?
But what if God protects them?
What if I don't have enough money?
But what if God provides?
What if the door closes?
But what if God opens another one?
What if my plans don't work?
But what if God's plans are better?
We usually attach “what if” to our fears.
Why don't we occasionally attach it to our faith?
What if God makes a way?
What if God provides?
What if God heals?
What if God opens the door?
What if God carries you through?
What if what you're afraid of never happens?
And here's an even greater question:
WHAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN—AND GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL?
That's faith.
Faith isn't pretending that tomorrow cannot contain difficulty.
Faith says:
“Whatever tomorrow contains, God will still be God when I get there.”
GOD GIVES TODAY'S GRACE FOR TODAY'S TROUBLE
This is where we often make a mistake.
We imagine tomorrow's problem while trying to face it with today's strength.
Of course it looks impossible.
You haven't received tomorrow's grace yet.
You don't need it yet.
God gave you grace for today.
When tomorrow becomes today, God will provide what you need for that day.
Remember what God did for Israel in the wilderness.
He gave them manna daily.
“Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day...” — Exodus 16:4
Daily provision.
Daily dependence.
Daily trust.
Maybe that's part of what God is teaching us.
You don't need tomorrow's manna today.
MOST OF THE WORLD LIVES IN TOMORROW
We worry about next week.
Next month.
Next year.
Retirement.
Our children.
Our grandchildren.
The economy.
Our health.
Our finances.
Our jobs.
Our relationships.
Wars.
Natural disasters.
Politics.
Technology.
The future.
And somewhere along the way, we miss the day God actually gave us.
TODAY.
Psalm 118:24 doesn't say:
“This is the tomorrow the LORD might make.”
It says:
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
This day.
Today.
The day you're actually living.
WORRY MAKES YOU PAY INTEREST ON A DEBT YOU MAY NEVER OWE
That's what worry does.
It charges you emotionally for events that haven't occurred.
You lose sleep over them.
Your stomach tightens.
Your mind races.
Your peace disappears.
You become irritable.
You can't enjoy the people sitting beside you because you're mentally somewhere three months from now.
And the terrible irony is:
The thing you're worried about may never happen.
You sacrificed today's peace for tomorrow's imaginary trouble.
Jesus asks earlier in Matthew 6:
“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” — Matthew 6:27
In other words:
WHAT DID YOUR WORRY ACTUALLY CHANGE?
Did worrying pay the bill?
Did worrying heal your body?
Did worrying protect your child?
Did worrying fix your marriage?
Did worrying create tomorrow?
No.
It simply stole something from today.
WORRY IS A TERRIBLE LANDLORD
And yet many people rent space there every day.
They wake up worrying.
Drive to work worrying.
Eat worrying.
Work worrying.
Go home worrying.
Lie in bed worrying.
Wake up at 2:00 in the morning worrying about the same thing.
And sometimes God has already answered the problem—but we're too busy worrying to recognize the answer.
Philippians 4:6–7 tells us what to do instead:
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Then comes the promise of God's peace.
Notice the exchange.
WORRY → PRAYER
FEAR → TRUST
ANXIETY → SURRENDER
“WHAT IF?” → “GOD, I TRUST YOU.”
YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE
This probably isn't the first time you thought:
“I don't know how I'm going to make it through this.”
And yet—
Here you are.
You survived days you thought would break you.
You walked through valleys you thought would swallow you.
You cried tears you thought would never stop.
You faced bills you didn't know how you would pay.
You endured disappointments you didn't think you could survive.
You buried people you thought you couldn't live without.
You encountered situations for which you had absolutely no answer.
And somehow—
God brought you through.
Maybe everything didn't happen the way you wanted.
Maybe you still have scars.
Maybe some questions remain unanswered.
But you're still here.
So before you panic about tomorrow, remember God's faithfulness yesterday.
WHAT IF TOMORROW IS HARD?
Jesus never promised tomorrow would be trouble-free.
In fact, Matthew 6:34 says:
“Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Every day has enough challenges of its own.
That's precisely why you don't need to import tomorrow's problems into today.
If tomorrow brings difficulty—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings disappointment—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings an unexpected bill—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings tears—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings a doctor's appointment—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings a closed door—
God will be there.
If tomorrow brings something you never anticipated—
GOD WILL ALREADY BE THERE WHEN YOU ARRIVE.
That's the part worry forgets.
You're imagining tomorrow without God in it.
Faith remembers:
I WILL NEVER ARRIVE ANYWHERE BEFORE GOD DOES.
“WHAT IF?” NEEDS TO BECOME “EVEN IF”
Maybe this is where somebody reading this needs to move today.
From:
“What if?”
to:
“Even if.”
The three Hebrew men said:
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us...” — Daniel 3:17
But then they added:
“But if not...” — Daniel 3:18
That's mature faith.
God can deliver me.
But even if the situation doesn't unfold the way I want—
I'm still trusting God.
What if I lose something?
Even if—I trust God.
What if the answer is delayed?
Even if—I trust God.
What if the door doesn't open?
Even if—I trust God.
What if tomorrow is difficult?
EVEN IF—GOD WILL STILL BE GOD.
STOP REHEARSING DISASTERS THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED
Somebody needs that sentence today.
Stop rehearsing the conversation that hasn't happened.
Stop planning the funeral nobody has scheduled.
Stop spending the money you haven't lost.
Stop mourning the relationship that hasn't ended.
Stop accepting the diagnosis you haven't received.
Stop fighting tomorrow's battle tonight.
COME BACK TO TODAY.
Right here.
Right now.
Take a deep look around you.
God is here.
His grace is here.
His mercy is here.
His Word is here.
His promises are here.
And according to Lamentations 3:22–23, His mercies are new every morning.
Tomorrow morning will have its own mercy.
JESUS ALREADY TOLD US WHAT TO DO
Earlier in this same chapter, Jesus said:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33
Notice what immediately follows.
Verse 33:
SEEK GOD FIRST.
Verse 34:
DON'T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW.
Maybe those two belong together more closely than we sometimes realize.
When God is first, tomorrow doesn't have to be.
A PRAYER FOR THE PERSON WORRIED ABOUT TOMORROW
Heavenly Father,
Someone reading this is worried right now.
Their body may be sitting in today, but their mind has already traveled into tomorrow.
They are asking:
“What if?”
What if things go wrong?
What if I don't have enough?
What if something happens?
What if I can't handle it?
Father, bring them back to today.
Remind them that tomorrow has not arrived.
Give them wisdom to plan responsibly without surrendering their peace to worry.
Help them place every fear into Your hands.
When their mind says:
“What if?”
Let faith answer:
“God will be there.”
When fear says:
“You can't handle tomorrow.”
Remind them:
“You don't have to handle tomorrow today.”
Give them today's bread.
Today's strength.
Today's wisdom.
Today's peace.
Today's grace.
Today's mercy.
And when tomorrow becomes today, meet them there again.
Father, we surrender our families, finances, health, ministries, children, jobs, plans, journeys, uncertainties, and futures into Your hands.
We don't know what tomorrow holds.
BUT WE KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW.
In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
STOP LIVING ON THE “WHAT IF” THEORY
Tomorrow isn't here.
So stop living there.
Plan wisely.
Pray faithfully.
Work diligently.
Love deeply.
Obey God.
Enjoy your family.
Serve somebody.
Tell somebody about Jesus.
Thank God for what you have.
And live the day He actually gave you.
TODAY.
When tomorrow arrives, there will be grace waiting for you there.
Until then:
DON'T BORROW TOMORROW'S TROUBLE.
DON'T SPEND TODAY'S PEACE ON TOMORROW'S “WHAT IFS.”
And whenever fear whispers:
“BUT WHAT IF...?”
Let faith answer:
“EVEN IF—GOD WILL STILL BE GOD.”
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow...” — Matthew 6:34
Tomorrow isn't even here.
Why are you already worried about it?
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
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