"THEREFORE I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT LIFE" (Matthew 6:25)

I am usually not a person who worries very much....until about 6 years ago when a seemingly unsolvable personal problem arose. My faith began to falter and the worries quickly found a way into my mind. That is when the logic in my mind and the promptings of my heart go into battle. Only when I turn to Jesus with a deeper focus in prayer and meditate on the Word of God, does my heart find comfort. I will be reminded life as a Christian is not about having no problems or suffering in life. 

It dawned on me a few years ago of how I pray daily to wholeheartedly do God's Will and then when trials come my way, I want Jesus to remove the crosses so I do not have to worry - to give me complete assurance of what lies ahead.

But what did Jesus say about true discipleship? 

"And he said to them all, “If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me."

(Luke 9:23)

Each of us will have to undergo trials and tribulations in our life but that is when you and I need to cling on to our faith in Jesus. It is to persevere and trust in Jesus especially when we do not know what the future holds.  We need to believe in the Promise of God's Word:

"Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, 

always asking him with a thankful heart."

(Philippians 4:6)

Below is the meaning of the word "worry" in the Cambridge English  Dictionary

WORRY:

"To think about problems or unpleasant things that might happen in a way that makes you feel unhappy and frightened."

The very definition of the word "worry" actually made me sheepishly smile for it contains the words "...things that might happen...". In order to do God's Will each day, we need to surrender completely to God. It means we must entrust our lives to Jesus COMPLETELY. It is about completely depending on God that He will do what is best for each of us.

I have been away from India on personal leave/mission efforts for over 2 months now. It has been a period of personal reflection and living once more in the "world"  I used to live prior to serving in the retreat centre for the past 13 years. To be honest, I needed this long break to feel renewed and inspired for what lies ahead. I still have 3 weeks of family time with my youngest sister and brother-in-law in Melbourne, Australia.

During this period, I have had the chance to be with my Mum and catching up personally with nearly all of my siblings  -a difficult task as each of us live in different countries! It was also a blessed and enriching time meeting priests and committed lay Catholics in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore who are so willing to be "partners of the Gospel" with the Divine-Potta ministry. It has truly given me a a renewed zeal that God's Plan is unfolding in His Time. It has seemed a long time and I began to have some doubts if I could help to coordinate the efforts and make it a reality.

On this break, I realized the ONLY Truth I should care about. The mission projects began after much prayers - it was a Divine Call from our Lord - all of us who have stepped forward in faith will always be led by Jesus. It is all about depending on God completely. There are still many great obstacles ahead but when I look back to just a year ago, there were only two of us with the blessing and support of Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala, India. Now we have got commitment of a team (priests and lay people) across Asia-Pacific which has been a joyous blessing! There is much to do as it took 7 years of prayers before the team is starting to form. All that matters is each of us is ready to be part of an evangelization effort. Jesus is totally in control. It has been so affirming personally to witness the Power of the Holy Spirit guiding each and every one of us from different countries  - to experience that we are ONE family in Jesus! None of us know when we can really kickstart our efforts because there are definitely big crosses ahead for us but if Jesus has led us to this point, He will surely not leave us stranded halfway.

Does this mean I will not worry anymore? Frankly, the answer is NO but I believe I will be able to cope better and worry less. But I do know that I will not be overwhelmed of the deep worry I have about a personal problem that I have had for years. Jesus has revealed He has not abandoned or ignored my great worry. He is helping me to learn to surrender every area of my life into His Hands. Each of our lives is only a finite journey here on earth. We have different crosses in our lives although we do not share it with everyone. But we need very much to share and surrender our crosses and ask Jesus for the strength to do His Will not ours. It is not easy but that is when we can learn to live as a disciple of Jesus. With Our Lord's Grace, nothing is impossible for us to overcome.

The bible passage below is a Promise from Jesus to be carried in our hearts and minds at all times...

 "DEPENDENCE ON GOD' (Matthew 6:25-34)"

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?*

Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.

But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’

All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,* and all these things will be given you besides.

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

I hope that when our hearts become troubled, the Word of God above will calm and strengthen our faith in Jesus.

The YouTube music video at the top of this post "WHY WORRY?" by NewSong is a joyously uplifting song of God's Love and most of all worry is not in God's Plan for us!