“Wow.” Nicolas frowned at his phone. “It’s not just me, Mom.”

Mom set the pot on the stove to boil. “What’s not just you?”

“I just read an article about the employment rate being really low for new college grads.”

Mom wiped her hands on the kitchen towel and moved into the family room. “What about your friends?”

Nicolas shrugged. “They’re all having problems, too. Ryan is helping his dad doing odd jobs at his construction company, but he has a computer science degree. Tyler has applied to over 200 jobs since graduation, and Brandon is waiting tables at a local restaurant. It’s so depressing.”

Mom squeezed his shoulder. “God has a plan for you.”

“You keep saying that, but it’s really hard to see. I appreciate you and Dad letting me stay here as long as I need to, but I want to make my way in the world. I want to propose to Ashley, and I’m not doing that until I have a full-time job. How will I ever be able to afford a ring and an apartment? And we’ll never be able to afford a house. I can’t imagine how that will ever be possible. It’s hopeless.”

“It’s never hopeless.” Mom moved to the side table and flipped open her Bible. “Worrying won’t help. Here.” She flipped through a few pages. “Matthew 6: 25-34 says

 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”

Mom set down the Bible, and Nicolas shifted his gaze to hers. “That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure how I can stop worrying. I know God knows what I need, but I just don’t see how it’s going to work out.” He stood from the sofa and shoved his phone in his pocket. “I’m going for a run.”

Mom bit her bottom lip, but said nothing more. Nicolas laced up his running shoes and inserted his ear buds. He took off out the front door and headed toward the creek. Running along the path by the creek soothed his soul. He might not see how things would work out, but at least he had a beautiful place to run. It soothed his mind and his body to get physical exercise. After a few miles, his thoughts relaxed and he simply enjoyed his music and the beauty of the running water. He soon settled into a familiar prayer.

“God, please give me a full-time job. I want to have a house and a wife and a family, and I can’t do any of that without the job. Please give Ashley a full-time job, too. We need to work or we’ll never get ahead. I don’t understand why you’re not helping us.”

As he rounded the bend, his parents’ house came back into view. They really were great parents. They knew how hard he was trying to get a job, and they didn’t nag. Still, he couldn’t stay with them forever. A guy needed to strike out on his own.

He pushed open the front door, his mind still on his problem, when he spotted a devotional on the front table titled Daily Bread. Something clicked in his mind. Daily bread? That was it. Just like the prayer. Give us this day our daily bread. Today, he was OK. Today, he had a roof over his head and food on the table. Ashley had the same at her parents’ house. God was providing what they needed for today. They both had supportive families who would help them during this tough time. God would provide. Maybe not as fast as Nicolas would like, but Mom was right. Worrying wouldn’t change anything. His prayer turned from pleading to grateful.

“God, I’m sorry I’ve been so impatient. Thank you for giving me everything I need for today. Help me stop worrying about tomorrow and help me, please to find the path you have for me. I’m choosing to trust You.”

Matthew 6:11

Give us today our daily bread.

God, You never told us you’d give us all the answers for the future. You tell us to ask You for what we need for today. We want to know how everything will work out, but we can only live one day at a time. Help us focus on today and live the life you have for us today. As you tell us in Matthew, worrying cannot add a single hour to our life. Worrying never helps us. Please give us the faith to follow You when we don’t have all the answers. Thank You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.