Matthew 6

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and 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 added to you.
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” [Matthew 6:25-34]

This Scripture has truly started to come alive for me over the past few weeks. As an official college grad with bills to pay and jobs to work, I have come to learn a different type of worry. I was well accustomed to the worry caused by stress, school work, and time management. However, I was amazingly unaccustomed to the stress of paying bills and budgeting. I’ve budgeted before, and I’ve had bills to pay, but my parents were always gracious enough to help me out. They paid for my college tuition (HUGE blessing!) and most of my big expenses. I was only responsible for minor expenses, like gas and some food.
That is not the case anymore. I’m starting out on this whole “grown-up” thing, and so far it has been quite the thrill ride! Stressful, for sure; but I don’t think I have ever experienced God in this way before.
God has been teaching me what it means to truly rely on Him for everything. I’ve always trusted in Him, but now its time to really put my money where my mouth is (quite literally). This past month, I had no clue how I was going to be able to afford my rent. My job started cutting back on hours, so instead of getting the 40 hours a week I was told I would have, I was getting 12-16 hours. Those are not at all the same, in case you were wondering. Unfortunately, my bills were ever so constant, and not easily covered by 16 hour work weeks. My internship also had some hiccups in the paperwork (shocking), so I wasn’t being paid for that either. It was a stressful time for me!
But God came through.
After pulling together graduation money, tips, and money that I was hoping to use for a mission trip next May, I had exactly the amount of money that I needed for July’s bills. Our God is good, He is faithful, and He is a Provider. Worrying didn’t help me at all. In fact, it only made me cranky and stressed out. But resting in the loving provision of my Father- that completely changed the whole situation. I was at peace, knowing that He had this under control. “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 added to you.” That is such a comforting Scripture for me at this point in my life. God knows my needs before I do! He had provided for my needs/July bills through graduation money that I had received in MAY! He is so stealthy. I love it.
God has also been reminding me to count the blessings that I have. I've been going to downtown Newport News recently to feed the homeless people there. As I was worrying about paying my rent, it really hit me how easily I could be living on the streets too. Fortunately, I have a wonderful family that would help me if I ever needed it, and is able to help me if I ever needed it. Very few people have that! I was fortunately enough to be born in to a middle-class family in America. I have so many resources and blessings available to me on a daily basis that I so easily take for granted. I own a car, I am able to go to the grocery store and buy food pretty much whenever I need it, I live in an amazing apartment...America just has such high standards of living compared to other countries globally. Finances may be tight, but God is SO much bigger than my finances! My bank account is exactly where He wants it to be. I really need to start recognizing everything He is capable of, and trusting that He will do it.