Daily Devotional for Tuesday, May 13, 2025

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Do Not Be Anxious About Tomorrow: A Devotional Meditation on Matthew 6:34

The Call to Trust God Daily and Reject the Burden of Future Worries

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” — Matthew 6:34

Matthew 6:34 forms the concluding statement of Jesus’ teaching on worry and trust in the Sermon on the Mount. This powerful sermon (Matthew 5–7), delivered to His disciples and the gathered crowds, establishes the standard of righteousness for those who seek to be part of God’s kingdom. In the second half of chapter 6, Jesus specifically addresses the common human struggle of anxiety over material needs and the uncertainties of life.

Anxiety reveals an inward lack of trust in God’s providence. Throughout verses 25–33, Jesus has urged His followers to observe how Jehovah cares for the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field. If He so graciously provides for creation, how much more will He provide for those who belong to Him?

With verse 34, Jesus presents a final instruction that aims to liberate the believer from the crushing burden of worrying about an unknowable future. Let us now examine this verse phrase by phrase, seeking to understand the deep spiritual wisdom and practical comfort it offers for all who strive to walk by faith.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow…”

The word “therefore” (Greek: οὖν, oun) connects this verse to what has just been taught: the believer’s life must not be consumed with the pursuit of food, drink, clothing, or material security (Matthew 6:25–33). Jesus draws the logical conclusion: if God provides for today, trust Him for tomorrow.

The command “do not be anxious” (Greek: μὴ μεριμνήσητε, mē merimnēsēte) carries the sense of “do not be drawn in different directions” or “do not be overly concerned.” Anxiety divides the mind, distracting the heart from God and pulling the believer into a state of fear, doubt, and double-mindedness (cf. James 1:6–8).

Jesus does not advocate careless living or irresponsibility. Scripture elsewhere commends wise planning (Proverbs 6:6–8; Proverbs 21:5). What is forbidden is crippling, fretful worry that doubts God’s goodness and sovereignty.

“Tomorrow” represents the unknown future—the problems that have not yet occurred, the trials that may or may not come. Jesus teaches that the believer’s focus must remain on faithful living in the present, not hypothetical fears about the future.

This echoes the wisdom of Psalm 55:22: “Cast your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

“…for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

Jesus personifies “tomorrow” to illustrate that future troubles belong to the future. The believer is not responsible to solve or manage all the uncertainties of life at once. Attempting to do so leads to mental exhaustion, spiritual weakness, and unnecessary distress.

This principle reflects a key truth of God’s providence:

God provides daily bread for daily needs (Matthew 6:11)
God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23)
God supplies grace as each situation arises, not for imaginary scenarios that may never happen (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Anxiety about tomorrow essentially assumes the role of God, seeking to preemptively control what belongs to His sovereign will alone. Jesus lovingly reminds His followers to stay within the boundaries of today, trusting the Father to meet each new challenge as it comes.

“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

The final phrase grounds the command in realism. Jesus acknowledges that each day has trouble (Greek: κακία, kakia, meaning hardship, adversity, or difficulty). The Christian life is not free from trials:

Jesus told His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33)
Paul reminded the churches, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22)

Yet Jesus’ point is that the believer must not compound today’s real challenges with tomorrow’s imagined ones. Each day presents enough opportunity to exercise faith, obedience, and dependence upon God.

This echoes the teaching of Exodus 16, where the Israelites were given manna for one day at a time, not stored for tomorrow. Those who tried to hoard found it spoiled. God teaches His people to rely on Him daily, not anxiously stockpile solutions for the future.

The believer must therefore discipline his heart to face today’s tasks with courage and leave tomorrow’s burdens with the all-sufficient Father.

Theological Implications: Trust Versus Anxiety

Matthew 6:34 teaches vital spiritual lessons:

Anxiety dishonors God by implying He may not provide as promised
Worry wastes energy on hypothetical futures and robs the believer of present peace
Faith trusts God’s daily provision, believing His mercies will meet tomorrow’s needs when they arrive

This verse perfectly aligns with other biblical truths:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6)
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
“Commit your way to Jehovah; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:5)

Devotional Application: Are You Trusting God for Today?

Are you burdened by fears of the future?
Do you spend your energy trying to control what only God can?
Do you seek His provision daily?
Are you walking in faith for today’s responsibilities, trusting Him to meet tomorrow’s?
Are you cultivating spiritual contentment?
Do you rest in the sufficiency of God’s promises, focusing on serving Him faithfully in the present?
Do you reject the world’s obsession with security and control?
True peace comes not from mastering the future but from trusting the Master of the future.

Conclusion: The Freedom of Daily Trust

Matthew 6:34 is not a denial of life’s hardships; it is an invitation to freedom from the crushing weight of anxiety. Christ calls His disciples to live in the simplicity of daily dependence:

To trust His care today
To walk in obedience today
To seek first His kingdom today (Matthew 6:33)

Tomorrow will come, and with it, new mercies will meet new needs. Until then, the believer is freed from the suffocating fear of what lies ahead, empowered to live joyfully and fruitfully in the present.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).