FINDING STRENGTH F O R
TOMORROW
Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable Our Daily Bread Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination.
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Worried ABOUT
TOM O RR OW ?
F
or many of us, “tomorrow” may not be a day to look forward to. Perhaps we have to take a
big exam that we’re not prepared for. Perhaps we have to go for a major operation. For some of us, tomorrow just means another day of pain as we struggle with an illness. Or another
day of loneliness and grief, because we’ve just ended a relationship or lost a loved one. Or another day of labour and worry as we care for an elderly parent, sick spouse, or a child with special needs. Some of us also worry about whether we will have enough money to feed our family tomorrow, or whether we will lose our job.
And then, there are some of us who simply have nothing to look forward to except more of the same routine—wake up early, send the kids to school, go off to work, come home, watch TV, repeat. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? If they do, take heart: you’re not alone.
Many people worry about what tomorrow will bring. For many of us, our days are filled with anxiety, worry, pain, sadness, or bitterness. Do you sometimes wish that you could get away from it all? That you don’t have to face tomorrow?
How can we deal with the uncertainty —and inevitability— of tomorrow?
Dealing WITH
TOMORROW
A
ll of us deal with our fear of tomorrow in different ways. Some of us will try to
keep busy, to distract ourselves from our worry and anxiety about the next day. Some of us will try to prepare ourselves by buying insurance
policies, taking on more jobs or working harder to earn more, or studying through the night for an exam. And some of us will just give up, enjoy ourselves, and say: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die anyway.” After all, why worry when we can’t do anything about tomorrow?
Yet, deep inside, we know that all these approaches will not really work. Our problems will not go away easily, nor can they be easily solved—or ignored. No matter
what we do, it will never be enough.
Whether we like it or not, tomorrow will come. So, how can we face up to tomorrow? How can we deal with the uncertainty—and inevitability—of tomorrow?
Someone M EET
IN CHARGE O F
TOM ORROW
C
an we introduce you to someone who can make a difference to tomorrow?
In fact, it’s someone who is in
charge of tomorrow, and it’s: God the Creator. As creator of the universe and the human race, he is in full control of
The LORD made the earth by his power; and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.
everything that happens—the past, the present, and the future. He knows
what will happen tomorrow, and the day after. Jeremiah, a man who lived many thousands of years ago, described God this way: “The LORD made the earth by his power; and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.”1 And this God who created the world also created each and every human being individually. So he understands exactly how each of us thinks and feels. He knows when we feel afraid, worried, anxious, or sad. Not only that, this Creator loves us. In fact, he cherishes and cares for
1
Jeremiah 10:12
every person deeply—including you and me. And so God wants to help us. He knows that we need comfort, assurance, and strength to face the next day. This is what he promises to give us if we believe and trust in him. Like a loving parent or a
close friend, he is waiting to welcome and comfort us with open arms.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”
A
GO D WH O REALLY
Understand
O
f course, you might ask: How is God able to help us? How would the Creator
of the universe understand what I, a normal human being, feels?
God knows exactly how we feel about tomorrow because he has gone through a similar experience himself. Some 2,000
years ago, he came down to earth to live as a man. This man was called Jesus. When he was on earth, Jesus had one very big “tomorrow” to face: he knew he was going to be betrayed and killed by his enemies. Hours before this happened, he was so troubled that he asked his closest friends to keep him company. “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death,” he told them. “Stay here and keep watch with me.”2
God knows what it is like to fear tomorrow, because he went through the experience personally. He chose to do this because he wanted to show us that he truly loves us. And because he knows what it’s like to worry about tomorrow, he understands how much we need faithful friends in times of trouble. This is why he offers to be our constant companion. Jesus invites us to turn to him for help and comfort. He promises us: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”3
2 3
Matthew 26:38 John 14:1
So how will believing and trusting in Jesus make a difference?
GOD CAN MAKE
a Difference!
W
hen the sun rises tomorrow, we will still have to face all our
problems and the uncertainties. So how will believing and trusting in Jesus make a difference? It will not make much of a difference if the person we believe and trust in is a human being like us. But Jesus is much more than that.
He is the Creator, all-knowing and all-powerful, and so he is more than capable of dealing with our problems.
With Jesus’ assurance of his presence and wisdom in our lives, we will not have to face the next day alone. Whether we are facing suffering, worries, or boredom, we will know that God is always with us. Like a friend, he promises to walk alongside us, comforting us and encouraging us through the long, difficult journey. He promises never to abandon us. Jesus not only holds our days in his hands, but he also holds us close to his heart.
Would you like to experience Jesus’ peace, presence, and power? Would you like to receive the assurance that you no longer have to face tomorrow on your own?
IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH TROUBLES TODAY, WHY NOT TURN TO THIS ALL-POWERFUL, COMPASSIONATE GOD WHO CAN HELP YOU FACE TOMORROW?
If you want to know more about Jesus, talk to a Christian friend or visit our website at ourdailybread.org/tell-me-more
You can also read A Story of Hope, a short and easy to read booklet that can tell you more about the Christian hope.
Scan the QR Code to read it online, or use the form to request for print copy. Check out odb.org for more print and digital resources by us!
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© 2021 Our Daily Bread Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Images used under licence from Shutterstock.com Written by: Leslie Koh
FINDING STRENGTH F O R
TOMORROW
Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable Our Daily Bread Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination.
odb.org
TL121