Tag: Worry

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Pray, Trust, and Don’t Worry

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”—Matthew 6:34

Occasionally someone will share with me their fears—about the economy, the direction of our moral standards, the aftermath of the pandemic. So many things seem out of our control. The apostles of Jesus were in a boat with him and panicked when a huge storm arose at sea threatening to sink them. They awakened Jesus, who immediately calmed the sea and wind and told them, “I am with you—I care—where is your faith and trust in me?” Their fear was gone. God was there and clearly in charge. The most repeated phrase in the Bible—over two thousand times—is “Fear not.” God’s messengers can confidently say, “Be not afraid” because they know that God is in charge of history; God is always present and loves us. Jesus said, “Fear is useless, what is needed is trust.” And I love the counsel of St. Padre Pio: “Pray, trust, and don’t worry!” When we are fearful, we need to trust in God’s loving presence and power to help. He cares!

Lord, help me to live in this present moment, for it is in the present that you reveal yourself to me. Let me have the wisdom to leave the past to your mercy and the future to your Divine Providence. Amen.

—from the book Three Minutes with God: Reflections and Prayers to Encourage, Inspire, and Motivate
by Monsignor Frank Bognanno

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The Rhythm of Life – 21 Questions that will Change Your Life – Question #4: What Are You Worried About? 

“Welcome back to 21 questions that will change your life.

Question #4 is about how we skip around between the past, present, and future… and how much of the now of life we miss out on by worrying about the future or getting tripped up in the past.

Question #4: How much of each twenty-four-hour period do you spend in the past, present, and future?

A great memory of time with friends from a few years back is a great way to spend a few moments of any day. Ruminating endlessly about something you did in the past or something that happened to you isn’t a great way to spend the precious now.

How much time did you spend lost in the past or the future yesterday? 10 minutes? An hour? Longer? Spend an hour a day lost in this type of worry about the future and ruminations of the past and it adds up. An hour a day means you spend two weeks a year doing just that.

What would you rather spend those two weeks doing this year? Every time you feel the past or the future pulling at you in unhealthy ways, turn your mind to the things would you rather spend those two weeks doing.”