faith.

I hate stress. Anxiousness is my least favorite emotion of all of the emotions. Ugh. More than all other topics, I despise worrying about money. I realize very clearly that I am blessed. I am more fortunate than most of the world. But sometimes, I just can't help feeling the tension of the bills coming in.

I wish I were more like some of my friends that trust that things like money will be taken care of. I wish I had faith like that. The truth is, I don't. Ladies and gents, I don't need more money... I need more faith. I feel like I am not alone in these fears. Not everyone's worry is monetarily related, but we've all got something. I hope tonight finds you free of anxiety, but I find solace in a well known and often quoted scripture. How many times have I read this and not really read it?

"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? Look 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If 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? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

- Matthew 6:25-34