“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  (Matthew 6:27)

The following statistics were published in a business magazine. Stress management experts say that only 2% of our “worrying time” is spent on things that might actually be helped by worrying. The figures below illustrate how the other 98% of this time is spent:

* 40% on things that never happen;

* 35% on things that can’t be changed;

* 15% on things that turn out better than expected;

* 8% on useless, petty worries.

Jesus repeatedly tells us not to worry – three times in Matthew 6 alone – be it worries about food, clothing, or the future. He doesn’t belittle our problems, but he calls us deeper into trust. Worries can be transformed into opportunities to grow as we hand them over to God in prayer.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow; but it empties today of strength.”