Don’t ‘borrow from tomorrow’

I would say, in my uneducated opinion that really doesn’t amount to anything … Most of us have something in common. We like to “borrow from tomorrow.”

It’s an interesting concept. As if I don’t have enough to think about today, let’s borrow from tomorrow and think about what might happen tomorrow, in five years or happen to my descendants down the family tree in 100 years.

The reason I know this secret about you, is because it is such a prevalent thought to “worry” that God put the word “worry” in the Bible 8,849 times according to Bible Gateway. (I have to confess. I did not double check this fact. If I had tried, I’d get up to a thousand or so, and someone would say something to me, and I’d totally forget where I was. And then I’d really worry!)

One of the Old Testament stores you may remember is when the Children of Israel were complaining about missing that great Egyptian food they loved so much. So God created the first “Door Dash” and dropped off food at their tents.

They were so excited. I picture the scene we’ve seen hundreds of times when a bag of cash gets blown up and people are scrambling for 100 dollar bills floating around in the sky. (How did the bills survive that explosion???)

Anyway, people were excited and they were gathering manna. Some even picked up more than their family would eat in a day. But they were planning ahead and making sure they could provide for the little ones the next day.

I remember having kids and how hungry they seemed to stay … unless I offered green beans or broccoli. Then all of a sudden they were just fine and could wait a few more hours for an official meal.

We had one son who would have eaten the whole family-size box of cereal at one time, if we would have let him. I remember saying, “I promise. You will not die of hunger before lunch.”

So parents were just being parents and setting aside extra — even though God had warned them not to get extra. (God’s way of saying, ‘You will not starve to death before the next door dash delivery!’)

In case you’ve forgotten what happened the next morning, the manna gathered the day before had worms in it. And I’m pretty sure they were the kind no one wanted to eat!

God wanted to teach His people to trust Him. To daily trust Him. Just as it says in the New Testament prayer when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. In “The Lord’s Prayer” as it is called there is a phrase that states, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”

God wants us to rely and depend upon Him daily. I attempt to put this plan into practice, but I’m not the best at it either.

Personal example. When was the last time you cleaned out your freezer? I knew I had food in there, but no clue what some of it was. So for several weekends, that had been on my list to get accomplished. But it never got checked off. (I LOVE LISTS and CHECKING THINGS OFF! Yes, if I complete something that wasn’t on the list … I'll write it in!!! Just so I can check it off!)

So last weekend, I prayed God would give me the strength and energy to get the important things done on my list. I really thought I’d have to purchase more freezer dishes for my “grab and go” daily lunches. But I stayed on task and was determined to clean out the freezer first.

I had gotten very lazy and didn’t have everything identified. And if I didn’t know what was underneath that frost, I tossed it. I knew some of the food was years old and it got tossed, too.

I have an organized freezer again. Some small dishes wrapped in a paper sack and labeled, are now waiting for me to “grab and go.”

I never made it to the store to purchase more freezer containers, because I had a dishwasher full of them from my clean out activity!

I honestly have some clean dishes stacked in the pantry, that I still need to find a home for … and it won’t be in the freezer … yet!

Now I know I don’t need to buy certain things, because I know I already have some in the freezer. It’s been a whole week, and it is still organized! Wahoo!

I’m grateful God gave me the strength to get that big task marked off my list. I understand the value of a freezer. And I admire the families that can and freeze garden food to be prepared for the winter months.

Even that hard work can become something we rely on instead of our Heavenly Father if we aren’t careful. I did that hard work as a young mother, and still remember the terrible smell we came home to when all the jars of potatoes had exploded their seals and oozed down the wall from the bookshelf they were stored on. What a smelly mess!

So how do we not borrow from tomorrow, and yet remain diligent about saving for the future and a rainy day? My hubby’s precious mother gave me the advice a long time ago to put 10% of each paycheck into savings. That has added up and I’m grateful. But that savings account is not my ‘god.’ I don’t look at that balance every day and drool over it. (It’s not THAT big!)

I still recognize the fact that the ability to work, and receive a paycheck comes from my Heavenly Father who is providing my daily bread. I sure don’t want to see worms in that savings account.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.

Philippians Chapter 4 is a great chapter to read and see how God wants to bless and provide for you. You don’t need to borrow from tomorrow.