What about Tomorrow?

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Then Jesus said to his disciples: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Luke 2:22-24 NIV

What about tomorrow? Chances are, we have all asked or been asked that question at some point. We meet someone and talk about having lunch, maybe tomorrow. We know we need to do something, maybe tomorrow. We have a new place we want to go, but tomorrow never comes. We forget, get busy, or decide on something else. “Your actions reveal how badly you want something. If you keep saying something is a priority, but you never act on it, then you don’t really want it.” (James Clear, Atomic Habits)

Jesus talks about tomorrow and what is important. Two brothers tried to pull him into their sibling quarrel over their share of an inheritance. Instead of lecturing them, he tells them a story. “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ (Luke 12:16-19 NIV)

This man assumed he would have a tomorrow. He planned as if he always had tomorrows. He accumulated many material things and found himself with an abundant crop. What could he do? You notice his focus was on his own needs and what would benefit him. He had total control over how to use the abundance, but he did not control tomorrow. He completely left out the One who controls tomorrow. Jesus brings the story to a climax: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (12:20).

Contentment has always been found at a crossroads you have to choose. One road sign lists things like wealth, bigger houses, and food delicacies. Nothing is inherently wrong with these things, but they can easily shift the focus to the self as the center. Jesus ended his story with the timeless truth, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (12:21).

At the crossroads, Jesus points us to the other road. It may not look as inviting at first, but in the end, it brings joy and contentment. As we align our money with faith, our world expands beyond our needs to include how we can impact God’s Kingdom. “Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can’t buy.” (Haruki Murakami)

It takes little time to watch a television show, read a magazine, view a reel on Facebook, or use any other media outlet to find the world’s answer to contentment. We are told we can find contentment in a product, activity, or service we must buy. Norwegian writer Arne Garborg writes, “You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge, but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace.”

What about tomorrow? If having, doing, and going are the answer, we should be the most content, happy, and well-adjusted generation in history. We live in the most prosperous, affluent era in history. There are more Solomons in terms of wealth, not wisdom, than at any time in history. So, what happened?

“Christianity observes that we’re discontent because our lives are disordered. It’s not that we love our work, our spouse, or other things too much; it’s that we love God too little in relation to those other things. The problem isn’t the intensity of our loves; it’s the order…Reordering love means we do not need to love things less, but love God more than anything else.” (Tim and Michael Keller, The Stories We Live By)

Jim Carrey, an actor and comedian, is known for roles such as The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, The Truman Show, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and many others. He has, without a doubt, achieved a certain level of success both materially and in terms of recognition. Yet in a commencement address at MIU, he spoke candidly about status. He said, “I’ve often said that I wish people could realize all their dreams in wealth and fame so that they could see that it’s not where you’re going to find your sense of completion.”

What about tomorrow? The man in Jesus’ story had made good, well-thought-out plans for tomorrow, but like so many, he failed to keep the focus on what is important. The man’s goals, and ultimately his contentment, rested on what would make his life easy. He was already thinking about what he would eat and drink, and what would make him merry.

Paul was writing to the gathered believers in Philippi, and his words are ones we can appreciate in our cultural context today: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13 NIV)

What about tomorrow? Let God build the storeroom!

God is great!

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What You See Is Not the Full Story

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He told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. Matthew 13:31-32 NIV

The only plants that grow faster than the Moso bamboo are the weeds in my flower beds! Under the right conditions, the Moso can grow up to 3.3 feet in a single day. Yet that growth comes through stages of dormancy and change as a seed. Even with rapid growth from 40 to 90 feet, it will still take 5 to 7 years to reach maturity for use.

Though the growth you can see is spectacular, the real miracle takes place underground. As it shoots up rapidly, it aggressively sends out a vast network of underground runners that can extend 15 feet or more in a single season.

“We want things to happen at the speed of light, but in the kingdom of God, things generally happen at the speed of a seed. News flash: Seeds still grow at the speed of Eden. They have to take root before they can bear fruit.” (Mark Batterson from Gradually Then Suddenly p181).

It doesn’t matter how young or old we are; we like to see things happen quickly, especially when it comes to our lives. We enjoy the 3.3 feet of spiritual growth per day, but we also learn to wait for the runners to spread out, which gives us strength and usefulness. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” (Robert Louis Stevenson).

The Moso bamboo’s use has often been described as “nearly endless” (Master Garden Products). From the bamboo harvest come products for building houses, flooring and decking, furniture, kitchenware, textiles, paper products, musical instruments, skateboards, environmental products, and the list goes on.

God tends to plant seeds rather than transplant full-grown plants. Our spiritual growth, like a seed, takes time to germinate before it sends out the first visible shoot, yet the variety of impact could be described as nearly endless.

God planted a seed of greatness in Abraham’s heart that seemed to make no sense given his circumstances. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Gen 12:2). Abraham was already 75, had no living heirs, and left his home for parts unknown. This was not exactly the way to build a great nation, yet God did.

God planted a seed of freedom for Israel in Moses’ heart. The problem: Moses got ahead of God. “Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand… When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian.” (Exodus 2:12, 15). It took years for his soul to gain the spiritual maturity to hear God say, “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Ex 3:10). The once-young and brash leader had matured enough for God to use him.

God planted a seed of hope in a refugee camp. The once-great nation of Israel was left beaten and destroyed, with the people living in exile. The future did not look very bright until God planted that seed in their hearts: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). It was a seed that sent out runners, sustaining them for 70 years.

God planted the greatest seed ever, still growing toward maturity and sending out runners throughout the world – a seed of redemption and of his forever presence. That seed came as a baby, born in a manger, fully human and fully God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14).

God is planting seeds and will continue to do so until the final chapter. “The church needs writers, performers, artists, speakers, politicians, businessmen, and workers in every craft and trade. I envision a whole generation of roaring lambs who will lay claim to these careers with the same vigor and commitment that sent men like Hudson Taylor to China.” (Bob Briner, Roaring Lambs: A Gentle Plan to Radically Change Your World).

What seed has God planted in your soul? Is it a new seed of vision to move; a seed to go to the mission field; a seed to break a lifestyle issue that has held you captive for years; or a seed of change in how you do life? We can rejoice and seek to experience God in every moment, place, and circumstance of every day. “There are no unsacred places; only sacred places and desecrated places.” (Wendell Berry).

God is great!

A weekly devotional thought offering encouragement, hope, and purpose

The Right Content for Change

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Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praise-worthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

“What makes the desert beautiful, said the little prince, is that it hides, somewhere, a well.”  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Death Valley is famous as the hottest place on Earth and the driest place in North America. Temperatures frequently exceed 120°F in the summer and set a world record in 1913 of 134°F. Average rainfall is less than 2 inches, a fraction of what most deserts receive, according to the National Park Service.

The harsh conditions create a barren landscape of survival. Yet within this lifeless wasteland, over 1000 plant species exist, each adapted to the conditions, with many dormant for years until the right conditions prevail. The winter of 2004 brought record rainfall, nurturing the earth and awakening this normally bleak landscape with a spectacular spring display of color. This incredible “Superbloom” reminds us of the hidden beauty that emerges when conditions are right.

Within each of us are the desert and the well, places in our souls that respond to the conditions we put them in each day. What you feed your soul is what you will get out. “The bucket that is sunk into the depths of the ocean is full of the ocean. The ocean is in the bucket, but also the bucket is in the ocean, surrounded by it.” (A.W. Tozer)

God made our minds to enjoy new experiences, excitement, knowledge, and information. He made our bodies, minds, and souls to be intertwined, responding to different stimuli in different ways, both positive and negative. It is one reason we can spend hours scrolling through social media.

You are probably familiar with “doomscrolling,” the habit of continually scrolling through negative, disturbing, or alarming news and social media content. You keep scrolling even though it increases your anxiety or hopelessness and decreases your well-being. The average person spends roughly 42% of their waking life on screens, about 6 hours 45 minutes a day. Social media is the single largest category, more than streaming and gaming combined (DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview).

Media consumption spans every generation, with Gen Z leading the way. Gen Z spends 2.6 times more time on screens than Boomers but is 1.5 times more likely to recognize it as a problem. Younger users want solutions, while older users may use screens less but are less concerned about it. It is a global concern, with average usage at 6 hours and 45 minutes per day. Geographically, developing nations such as South Africa, Kenya, and Brazil lead the statistics, with the United States coming in at 10th place.

The opposite of doomscrolling is a new term I learned this week: “bloomscrolling.” Instead of letting the algorithm feed you doomscrolling content, bloomscrolling means intentionally seeking uplifting content, like nature videos, heartwarming stories, hobbies, or anything that brings encouragement and purpose. You still use social media, but you stay in control of what you see.

 “Bloomscrolling is intentionally looking at online content that makes you feel good rather than constantly consuming negative or stressful information.” (Sanam Hafeez, neuropsychologist). “While genuine real-life interactions are the ultimate antidote to digital fatigue, bloomscrolling is a much healthier habit than the alternative… Bloomscrolling can help make your relationship with social media feel a little more balanced and less emotionally draining.” (Nandini Maharaj)

We may have strong opinions about social media, but we live in a technologically connected world, and simply saying “quit social media” doesn’t always work. Screen time serves multiple needs, from keeping us connected to helping us work more effectively. We must recognize the dangers while learning to use it without letting it destroy our souls and minds. “You don’t drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.” (Edwin Louis Cole)

You can ask yourself what you hope to find in your hours on social media. I have found it a great tool for research, staying in touch with others, and gaining information, but one thing I have found severely lacking is wisdom. If you think you can find wisdom on the internet, just read some of the comments!

Solomon had all the wealth, power, and influence the world could fathom, but the one thing he emphasized most was “Get wisdom.” He wrote, “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you…(Proverbs 4:5-8ff).”

James wrote centuries later about the importance of seeking wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5) James wrote long before the advent of social media, yet he fully understood the nature of our hearts, regardless of the vehicle. The world’s wisdom offers envy, selfish ambition, disorder, and every evil practice (3:16). Compared to the world’s list, look what God offers: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (3:17-18).

We may not like social media, AI, or whatever else, but they are here to stay. The question for followers of Jesus is: how will we use them for good, not evil? “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” (Francis of Assisi).

God is great!

A weekly devotion offering encouragement, hope, and purpose

Keep Running, Don’t Stop

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Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Keep running; it is not over yet! This should have been my mantra when I was running marathons. I needed that mantra because the elite runners had already collected their medals, showered, and were heading to the next race as I came into view of the finish line. I may never have finished first, but I was never last.

I am so thankful for runners like Shizo Kanakuri, who make my 4-plus hours look pretty good. Kanakuri finished the 1912 Stockholm Olympics in 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds, beating my records. Kanakuri holds the Guinness World Record for the slowest time in any Olympic marathon and will likely hold it for many years.

He started the race on July 14, 1912, and crossed the finish line on March 20, 1967, at age 75. During those years, Sweden listed him as missing, and a legend was born.

So where did he go? The race day was hot; only 34 of the 68 runners finished. Kanakuri became disoriented, stopped at a Swedish family’s house, and fell asleep from heat exhaustion. When he woke up, the race was over, and embarrassed by his failure, he silently returned to Japan without notifying race officials.

Kanakuri turned his failure into a new story. The next day, he wrote in his journal, “It’s the morning after my defeat. My heart is aching with regret for the rest of my life. It was the most significant day of my life. But failure teaches success, and I can only wait for the day with fair weather after the rain so that I can clean up my shame.” (Katja Vujic, Runner’s World).

 He chose to tell his story in ways that would make a difference. For the next fifty years, he kept training, ran other Olympic races, taught other long-distance runners, and finally finished the race he started in 1912. When interviewed at the end of the race, he simply said, “It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children, and ten grandchildren.”

Failure is not, and has never been, God’s plan for us. “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” Proverbs 24:16 NLT.

“We all have our time machines, don’t we? Those that take us back are memories…And those that carry us forward are dreams.” (H.G. Wells)

Finding your new story after failure is a recurring theme in Scripture. We read the stories of those who got lost along the way, only to see God’s hand editing and rewriting their story. These are stories of second chances, and occasionally even more. They are stories woven through with God’s grace and concern for us. If you stop at failure, you will not find redemption. Failure will become the mark of life, which is not the way God intended.

Failure forces us to look within and ask who we are and what we can do now. It is easier to stay hidden, yet in those times God’s word becomes critical to our story. “Do not trust what you feel, but rather trust what God says about you. Hold to God’s declaration over you.” (Robby Dawkins). God has no illusions that we will not fail, but He will be there to pick us up. “The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” (Psalm 37: 23-24)

Peter, who became a patriarch of the early church, failed miserably by denying Jesus three times. He was so devastated that he went into hiding and could have remained a failure, but the very one he denied restored him (John 21:15-17). Jesus took his brokenness and rewrote his story: “Feed my Sheep.”

David, who became known as a man after God’s own heart, failed morally, ethically, and legally by committing adultery, murder, and an attempted cover-up. God used Nathan to help David rewrite his story of failure. (2 Sam 12).

Adam had it all until he wanted more and failed because of disobedience and deception. All would have been lost for him except that “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). God took him and Eve to help them rewrite their broken stories of failure.

John Mark’s story would have been that of a deserter and a failure if not for Barnabas, who helped him rewrite it. “Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him because he had deserted them in Pamphylia…They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus…” (Acts 15:37-39). Later in life, Paul wrote Timothy asking for John Mark.

“God is the God of second chances—it’s never too late to be who you might have been. And God can resurrect opportunity like He can everything else. But every opportunity has a shelf life—some shorter than others.” (Mark Batterson)

God is the ultimate author of our stories. Others may see failure, but not God when we give Him the pen to write it. I am grateful that he never gave up on me, nor will He on you. He keeps writing and rewriting, even if it takes 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds!

God is great!