One Week at a Time

As Labor Day weekend comes to an end, we close the door on summer and welcome fall with open arms - it’s football season! The schedule shows which games our favorite team should win and some fan bases are already planning their trips to a Bowl game or the Super Bowl. There are other fans that look at their team’s schedule and wonder how they will win a game during a tough 4-week stretch midway through the season. Looking at future match-ups and the possibilities for a successful season is always fun, but all year long we will hear coaches say, “we’re just taking it one week at a time.” We blow that off as a cliche or coach speak, but in reality, that’s the best mentality for a winning team to have. If players are worrying about how they’re going to win week 8 against a top team, how can they focus on the team they have to beat this Saturday? When it comes to my own life, I struggle with the “one week at a time” approach. As I look at my schedule, to-do list, and full calendar, I wonder how I’m going to survive November, yet haven't even made it through September. I’m overwhelmed at the thought of everything I have to do and all the activities going on. We can either put too much pressure on ourselves to tackle the whole list right away or end up ignoring what’s in front of us today because we’re thinking about accomplishing the tasks two months from now. But just like a football team doesn’t go 12-0 in week one, we can’t do everything today. When struggling with our finances or health or other big issues, it's difficult to follow the “one week at a time” strategy, or better yet, just day-by-day, because we get overwhelmed about the thought of what might happen in the future.

The only way to combat against worrying too much about what lies ahead is to trust God today and place our faith in Him for our future. We can rely on His strength and grace for today...period.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:33-34 (NLT), "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."

As we hear coaches tell the media they are taking it “one week at a time,” let’s be reminded to seek and trust God today and not worry about tomorrow. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it’s so hard not to worry about the future or how I’m going to handle everything that’s coming up. I need your strength and grace for today. Please help me to seek first Your Kingdom. I believe you are good and faithful and will provide what I need. Teach me to believe that, instead of being anxious about tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.