Read: Matthew 6:25-34
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (v. 27)
“Your biopsy results came back and both are basal cell carcinoma.” The two spots in question had appeared on my lower right leg a few months prior to a checkup with my new doctor. I was sitting alone on the edge of my bed that afternoon in mid-January when she called to confirm I had skin cancer.
The weeks that followed brought appointments with a dermatologist, sharing this news with my parents and siblings, and performing various searches online. Those weeks also brought some late nights of staring at the ceiling, some tears over the what ifs I couldn’t possibly control, and the reassuring hugs of my husband and our sons.
While my cancer diagnosis was for the most basic and easily removable form, the uncertainty of it still brought worry. Yet, as I anticipated my upcoming procedure, my healthiest choice was to trust Jesus’ advice: take it one day at a time and don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow (v. 34).
In times of uncertainty we can choose joy in the present instead of fear over the future, and bless God as a result. We can let him take care of each tomorrow, since he loves us more than anything else in creation. What a great blessing! What a reassuring gift! —Joy Petroelje
As you pray, thank God for today, and tomorrow, and that he holds both.
About the Author
Joy Petroelje is the director of a nonprofit human services organization. She and her husband Steve have three sons and live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. In addition to family time and her work in nonprofit administration, Joy enjoys reading, writing, and running.
