When I Start to Worry (Hillary Puckett)

"God gently reminds me that as frustrating and scary as things may be now, worrying about it will come to nothing. Make no mistake, our collective anxiety is real and valid, and the world is still pretty terrifying and the repercussions of this pandemic are devastating and maddening. But one day, at least for one shining moment, we, too, will give up our worrying, and go out into that morning, singing."

What do you do when you are worried?

//

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will 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 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 can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry 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 clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

//

This episode was written and recorded by Hillary Puckett, a lay leader at The Riverside Church. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Woods by Cofrina Repp.

Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.

Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.