Tomorrow's Troubles
by Thomas Scott
“For tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:34
Were we endowed with the faculty of foreseeing events, we should indeed perceive that there would be no part of our future lives which would not be attended with many sorrows and many difficulties, though probably of a very different kind and character than we now imagine. Our knowledge of the future is so vague that it is very probable that even tomorrow will be passed under circumstances totally unlike what we now conjecture. How then can we expect to make provision for future months and years? But here again we have the consolation of thinking that when tomorrow comes with its train of unexpected difficulties, it will take thought for the things of itself. If it has new needs, it will have also its new supplies. If it has new difficulties, it will have also new expedients.
Look back, brethren, on the history of your past lives. How often have you met with trials that you never anticipated, difficulties that you never expected, and sorrows that you never so much as thought of! How were you brought through all these? Most clearly not by your own prudence and forethought, or by the provision you had made against the time of trial. No. But when the morrow came, it took thought for the things of itself. When the need came, God sent the supply. When the danger appeared, the means of relief appeared also. When the trouble began to press upon you, the everlasting arms were put underneath, and you were supported through the trial and your sorrow was turned into joy. Such has been the experience of your past life, and such will be also the experience of your future years–if future years are reserved for you. Your own anxious solicitude has often increased your sorrows, but it has never done anything toward relieving them. And why do you refuse to believe that it will be so for the future? You have been supported all your lives long and delivered from threatening difficulty and danger. And why do you hesitate to trust God for the future? Why will you refuse to believe him when he says, “the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”
“Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” To the truth of this saying we are all ready to give our assent, though we have but little inclination to act upon the acknowledged fact. It is but a sorrowful world that we live in. And though we appear to have portions in it, differing materially one from another, yet “every heart knows its own bitterness,” and everyone is ready to think his own sorrow to be more acute than that of his neighbor. The Scriptures say nothing to invalidate this. On the contrary, they tell us much to show that man, as a sinner, is the child of sorrow. The Saviour assures us that we have, every day, a burden to bear, which is quite as heavy as we know how to carry–a burden sufficient to make us groan. Yet he sees us foolishly increasing our own troubles and making our burden heavier than God ever intended it should be; and doing this to no beneficial purpose whatever. If we could take tomorrow’s load of cares and sorrows and so carry it today–that when tomorrow came we should find it a day of ease and satisfaction, a day free from anxiety and trouble–then there might be some wisdom in taking thought for the morrow. But this we cannot do. And yet the burden of today is grievously augmented with anticipated evils, with fears and apprehensions, while the load of tomorrow is not lightened a single grain! Thus, beside the burden God has laid upon us, we make another of our own–and groan and faint under the accumulated weight.
But why is this? It is because we are so worldly-minded; because our thoughts and affections are so much fixed on the things below. Examine yourselves, brethren, on this point. When your minds are led to look forward with anxious care to tomorrow, what are the things which most harass and distress you with fears and apprehensions? I do not say that the subjects are wholly unimportant, wholly unworthy of your attention; but I will venture to say that they are almost, if not entirely, relating to this present world. They may be important, but they are only important to you as an inhabitant of earth and not to an immortal being standing on the verge of eternity. Consider yourself as not formed for time only, but for eternity; not for this world, but for another. It is only when the things of this life are spoken of that anxious care about the future is forbidden. It is only then that it becomes the source of unhappiness. There are subjects of infinite moment to each of us, where forethought and solicitude are not only allowable but required of us. Such solicitude as will make us fear and tremble, even while we are using the means appointed by God to secure the prize set before us. Take thought for eternity, labor to secure an inheritance beyond the grave, to find pardon of sin through faith in the Lord Jesus. And then your most anxious solicitude, your most indefatigable exertions for the future will incur no censure. No, nor will they do anything towards diminishing your happiness; but the more earnest you are, the more present peace will you enjoy and the brighter will be your future prospects.
