“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
(Matthew 6:34 ESV)
You’re walking through difficulty. You’re making a tough decision. You’re waiting on an answer. You’re in a long season with little strength to endure. You’ll likely hear at least one person give you this word of wisdom: “Take one day at a time.”
We want to echo that word of advice but reframe it as a loving command of Jesus that will yield blessing if you obey it.
Take One Day at a Time Is Wisdom from Jesus
That advice isn’t just common sense, though it certainly is that. It’s wisdom from God’s Word, and it’s a command from Jesus given to us out of his love for us, to do us good. Jesus captures that same idea—take one day at a time—with these words:
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34 ESV)
Jesus is saying more here than “take one day at a time,” though that is certainly the conclusion of what he says. So, what is the entirety of Jesus’ message here?
What It Means to Take One Day at a Time
First, Jesus tells us not to be anxious about tomorrow. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Every other day—all our tomorrows boxed up in our mind, must be marked in red with “no worries.”
As for today’s troubles? The rest of the Bible flies a banner over all the troubles of this day that says, “do not be afraid.”
So, friend, when worries arise in your mind, pause and consider your specific anxiety: “Does this belong to today or tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow will bring its own worries” (NLT), Jesus continues. The verse quoted above says it like this: “tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” Jesus follows this statement by saying that today has enough trouble of its own. Each day carries with it trouble and worries and hardship. There is a measure of trouble to each day. Jesus tells us to take one day at a time, because we can only handle one day’s trouble at a time.
When all the impending or imagined troubles of tomorrow start clamoring at us to attend to them, we must pause again. Instead of directing our energy to the troubles of tomorrow, we can redirect our focus and say, “what is the trouble before me today?”
How do we “take one day at a time?” Jesus answers us. We must assess our troubles. Is this part of today’s trouble? If not, then we should not let our hearts be troubled by it. And if it is, what can we do with today’s measure of trouble?
We can entrust it to our Father in heaven, leave it with him, and turn our focus to seeking his kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
Entrust Today’s Troubles to Your Loving Father
If you have put your trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and to make you right with God, then you are God’s child (John 1:12; 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 5:1)! God promises his Fatherly care to you, for all your days.
God will not have his children worrying over what’s not in our control, nor filling today with fret when we have a Father who desires to care for our needs (Matthew 6:26, 32). Instead, he would have us throw our troubles into his lap and scamper off to be about his business—concerning ourselves with the things that concern him.
Will we humble ourselves and realize that we only get to live one day at a time? Jesus calls us to accept our limitations as humans, choosing to bear only today’s trouble and none of tomorrow’s. As we bear the burdens of today, we have a God who “daily bears our burdens” with us (Psalm 68:19 NIV)—a Father who has anticipated all our needs, and who is ready to answer our cries for our “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).
Friend, when your troubles taunt you, size them up. Ask your troubles, Do you belong to today or tomorrow? Only let the troubles through that are today’s concern. And once you let them in, take them straight to your Father who delights to care for your needs. Leave today’s trouble with him and live this day seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness.