Good morning! Today’s devotional comes to us from Devereaux Knight, a junior Religion and Political Science major from Overland Park, Kansas and former member of the Coast Guard. After graduation, Devereaux plans to pursue a Master of Divinity degree, and he hopes to work in the field of military chaplaincy or academia. At TCU, Devereaux is involved in Disciples on Campus, the Horned Frog Marching Band, and Chi Delta Mu. -Rev. Katherine Wright, Assistant Chaplain
Matthew 6:34
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
It is difficult to possess hope during times like these. War persists. Hunger is ongoing. Hate and division grow every day. However, these turmoils are just as human as any positive concept invented by us over previous millennia. Humans possess love, charity, empathy, advanced discourse, equality, and equity, among other strengths of the human race. These things appear opposed to each other, as the negatives are often attributed to the work of bad actors or the Devil in a Christian context, whereas the positive abstract constructs are claimed by religious institutions or “humanity” in general. So what does this mean? Humanity is responsible for all positive and negative afflictions that impact us on a daily basis (aside from volcanoes and asteroids). This leaves us with an immense amount of pride and guilt due to both sections respectively. While we do have some level of agency over what brings us pride and guilt within our day-to-day lives, very little of our worry about global concerns actually gets resolved due to our individual worry.
In an American society where independence, individualism, and narratives such as the “American Dream” are prevalent, the idea that we control our own destiny has been ingrained in our consciousness since a young age; however, many college-aged adults come to question that more and more as years go on. Furthermore, how can one have hope when they lack control over what brings them worry and guilt? We fail to remember that these problems are not new. Throughout humanity, people have been worried about various things that they do not have direct control over. Our worries are not new. The Gospel of Luke addresses this in Chapter 12:22–31, where Jesus reminds the audience that despite plants’ and animals’ lack of worry, they still receive what they require to flourish. Humans can achieve this too by seeking the Kingdom of God. Returning to Matthew 6:34, Jesus instructs us to only concern ourselves with what is directly in our control, and while other aspects of life, such as political participation among other subjects, require our attention, maybe concern for them has taken priority over our own mental well-being. Hope for a good week. Hope for a good day. Hope for a good class, and maybe we will all be in a merrier world this season.
Let us pray.
Loving God,
In a world full of worry and uncertainty, remind us of Your promise that tomorrow will care for itself. Help us focus on what is before us today, trusting that You provide just as You do for the birds and flowers. Give us strength to release what we cannot control and to find hope in Your presence. Let peace guide our thoughts, compassion guide our actions, and hope guide us through this season of Advent.
Amen.