Morning Devotional 062425 Take Action

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

June 24, 2025

Luke 12:22-31

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 There is more to life than food and more to the body than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither plant nor harvest, they have no silo or barn, yet God feeds them. You are worth so much more than birds! 25 Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? 26 If you can’t do such a small thing, why worry about the rest? 27 Notice how the lilies grow. They don’t wear themselves out with work, and they don’t spin cloth. But I say to you that even Solomon in all his splendor wasn’t dressed like one of these. 28 If God dresses grass in the field so beautifully, even though it’s alive today and tomorrow it’s thrown into the furnace, how much more will God do for you, you people of weak faith! 29 Don’t chase after what you will eat and what you will drink. Stop worrying. 30 All the nations of the world long for these things. Your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, desire his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.

Good Morning! Don’t worry! Be happy!

Letting go of our worry is easier said than done. We worry about the things we need to do, the things we have already done, and the things we might have to do. We even worry about other people’s situations. 

Maybe we confuse caring with worry. Our to-do lists are often filled with a wide array of tasks ranging from trivial to significant. I prefer to keep most of my list in my head because writing it down creates a daunting list that can be overwhelming at times. I think in color, and I use the colors to allow me to sort thoughts, ideas, and tasks into manageable categories.  This works for me, but each must function the best way for themselves. 

What does it mean to show care for someone, as opposed to worrying about them? To care implies action, whereas worrying is typically a passive state. When someone is in need of food, we can either prepare and take them food, or sit and worry that they don’t have enough to eat. The first choice meets their need, but the second choice fills your mind with unfulfilled concern. 

How much time do we spend worrying about things beyond our control? We are better served by replacing our worries with actions that help. Even when we can’t directly help, we can send cards, emails, or call to show our care. In loving one another enough to take action, our worries are exchanged for happiness. Don’t worry, be happy! 

Giving Lord, you bless us abundantly! Help us let go of our worry. Show us ways to actively help one another. Thank you. We love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

Thought for the day: Immersing ourselves in actively caring for others relieves our worry. 

Let go of your worries! God has a plan! Pastor Liz