Nothing to Worry About

Think only of God and you have nothing to worry about.

Do not worry so much about work and making money. Do not stress about moving up in your career or enhancing your status in the world. When you worry about these things, you do so in vain.

Our lives do not consist of our material things, our professional titles, or our economic class. Our lives were meant for the worship of God, and everything we do must be focused on Him. He will take care of us.

Next Sunday’s reading (Eccl 1:2; 2:21-23) says, “For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief is his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity.”

Have you ever stayed up late at night thinking about some project at work or some stress on your mind? Have you ever pushed yourself extra hard at work, put in long nights, and forgone family activities or even religious obligations so that you can “get ahead”? Are you constantly thinking about how you can move up the chain to get in the next pay grade, become a director, and make the “big bucks”? America tells you this is the right way to be—to work as hard as you can, no matter the cost, and eventually get paid darn well for it.

Don’t you see; that is all in vain? Only God matters. Don’t let work become who you are. You are God’s child; you were meant for Him. Be at peace and let His Holy Spirit infiltrate your soul. Let Him fill you up like soothing rain waters fill a lake after a long drought.

Do not stress about things that do not really matter in the long run. As Christ says in Mk 6:27, “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?”

Mark 6:30-32 “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’…But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”

The reality is, the more we overwork, the less we have, because we weaken our relationship with God.

Work hard when it’s time to work, play hard when it’s time to play with your family, and pray hard all day long.