Don’t worry about tomorrow

"Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Is this really a good way for human beings to live their lives?

King James Bible
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore be not anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be solicitous for the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is its own evil.

Originally posted by @fmf
"Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Is this really a good way for human beings to live their lives?

Absolutely!

God is the ultimate provider.

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.“

(Matthew 6:25-34)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

(Hebrews 13:5)

Originally posted by @romans1009
Absolutely!

God is the ultimate provider.

What about human beings working to improve things like maternal and infant mortality, preventable diseases, water and sanitation, food supply, human rights, provision of education, building civil institutions and so on?

How does a don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself approach to life work in such a context?

And if those things are not the correct context in which to place Matthew 6:34, then what is?

Originally posted by @fmf
What about human beings working to improve things like maternal and infant mortality, preventable diseases, water and sanitation, food supply, human rights, provision of education, building civil institutions and so on?

How does a [b]don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself approach to life work in such a context?

And if those things are not the correct context in which to place Matthew 6:34, then what is?[/b]

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

Originally posted by @fmf
What about human beings working to improve things like maternal and infant mortality, preventable diseases, water and sanitation, food supply, human rights, provision of education, building civil institutions and so on?

How does a [b]don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself approach to life work in such a context?

And if those things are not the correct context in which to place Matthew 6:34, then what is?[/b]

God is sovereign and in control.

Originally posted by @romans1009
God is sovereign and in control.

I respect your religious beliefs in so far as they work for you. However, there is a specific and serious question on the table here that invites something a bit more analytical than mere proclamations of faith. Read my third post on this thread again. If this is a topic you don't really want to discuss, maybe this thread is not for you.

Originally posted by @fmf
I respect your religious beliefs in so far as they work for you. However, there is a specific and serious question on the table here that invites something a bit more analytical than mere proclamations of faith. Read my third post on this thread again. If this is a topic you don't really want to discuss, maybe this thread is not for you.

You can’t comprehend my posts because you don’t believe God exists and don’t recognize that He is in control, which is why He says not to worry about tomorrow. Worrying doesn’t, and never did, accomplish anything.

God is saying to first seek His Kingdom and righteousness and He will take care of your needs. God is capable of far more than you realize or can comprehend.

Originally posted by @romans1009
You can’t comprehend my posts because you don’t believe God exists and don’t recognize that He is in control, which is why He says not to worry about tomorrow. Worrying doesn’t, and never did, accomplish anything.

God is saying to first seek His Kingdom and righteousness and He will take care of your needs. God is capable of far more than you realize or can comprehend.

In the examples you gave, how does worrying or giving thought to tomorrow accomplish anything? Concentrating on the present and allowing God to direct your actions (after you’ve first sought His Kingdom and righteousness) is where it’s at.

Originally posted by @romans1009
You can’t comprehend my posts because you don’t believe God exists and don’t recognize that He is in control, which is why He says not to worry about tomorrow. Worrying doesn’t, and never did, accomplish anything.

God is saying to first seek His Kingdom and righteousness and He will take care of your needs. God is capable of far more than you realize or can comprehend.

Working to improve health-related things like maternal and infant mortality and tackling preventable diseases takes a great deal of long-term planning, cooperation and synergy by a lot of different people, allocation of resources, and political will. "Worrying about them" is certainly a big part of what leads to action,

A laissez-faire philosophy like "don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself" is not conducive to any of this. There are chronic grinding problems with poverty, health and education etc. in places where people believe in your god figure.

Thank you for your words about your faith though. I'd be more interested if you took a few items listed in my third post and be specific as to how Matthew 6:34 can be applied to solving them in the real world.

Originally posted by @romans1009
In the examples you gave, how does worrying or giving thought to tomorrow accomplish anything?

"Worrying" leads to recognition, analysis, resolution, planning, and action. And all these things concern the nature of 'tomorrow'.

Originally posted by @fmf
Working to improve health-related things like maternal and infant mortality and tackling preventable diseases takes a great deal of long-term planning, cooperation and synergy by a lot of different people, allocation of resources, and political will. "Worrying about them" is certainly a big part of what leads to action,

A laissez-faire philosophy like "don’ ...[text shortened]... rd post and be specific as to how Matthew 6:34 can be applied to solving them in the real world.

No problem.

But if I’m going to invest the time and effort to respond to your query, I first would appreciate the simple courtesy of your devoting a few moments identifying what an agnostic atheist is (one or two sentences would be fine.)

And no, I’m not going to start a whole thread on the subject just to acquire your definition.

Originally posted by @romans1009
But if I’m going to invest the time and effort to respond to your query, I first would appreciate the simple courtesy of your devoting a few moments identifying what an agnostic atheist is (one or two sentences would be fine.)

And no, I’m not going to start a whole thread on the subject just to acquire your definition.

Start a thread on it. Look up the definition. Post it in the OP. Then ask a few questions about it that you feel are pertinent. Post them in the OP too. I am happy to discuss what "agnostic atheism" is in this way.

This thread is about how Matthew 6:34 - or at least the philosophy it seems to espouse - works in the context of human beings cooperating to improve their lot in life.