Matthew 6:34 Devotional on Being Present Tonight

Your Nightly Prayer

Learning to Be Present Tonight
Your Nightly Prayer

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:34

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Standing at my kitchen sink at the close of the day, the house is quiet, but my mind is full. I’m not just thinking about the dishes in the sink, I’m thinking about my long to-do list for next week, the bills I need to pay, work stress, and one of my kids that I’m struggling to reach. Behind me is my refrigerator, with an appointment card, a picture my daughter drew, and a few love notes from my kids. What I need to carry is small, yet it feels so enormous. Have you ever had a day like this? Have you ever found yourself in a pattern of days like this?

Matthew 6:34 gives us a beautiful reminder: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Jesus knew our reality. He acknowledged that each day we would have some kind of trouble! He doesn’t call us to ignore our responsibilities or pretend life is easy. But what he does encourage us to do is take this invitation to not look too far ahead at things that haven’t even occurred. He calls that worry. When we worry about tomorrow, we are trying to manage outcomes that belong to Him. Why is the struggle so real? In the verse just before Matthew 6:34, Jesus directs our attention to birds and flowers, the things in the wild that flourish without trying!

Daily rhythms help us focus on the grace God gives us for today. When we go far beyond today with circumstances that are out of our control, we begin carrying something that we weren’t given grace for yet. We drag tomorrow into our today, creating stress and a sense of being just above water, slowly drowning. I think of the words of an old familiar hymn, “One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking from You. Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.” Instead of asking for the whole plan, may I just look at today? By taking one day at a time, Jesus doesn’t just offer us stress relief; He’s drawing us into a deeper relationship with Him. Our hearts and minds don’t just become calmer; they become more anchored. It also helps us to practice His presence.

Being present in a society that is moving so fast and screaming so loudly is not something that comes naturally. It’s something we must intentionally take part in. Being present says, God is here, right where I am. He is enough and will be there for all my tomorrows. It says, I trust you. As you close your day, maybe like me, it’s at your kitchen sink. Thank Him for staying with you in your moments of uncertainty, worry, and fear. Glance back at your refrigerator at all your kids' drawings and love notes, and rest in that, for today.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Jesus,
Thank you for staying with me today and every day. Thank you for reminding me to take my days one at a time. Not looking too far ahead, but steady with your grace. I trust you with my life, and I depend on you, my savior, to lead, guide, and direct my days this side of heaven. Draw me deeper in my walk with you- I desire to be anchored in You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

Have I accepted Jesus’ invitation to stop worrying about tomorrow?
What rhythms do I need to put in place to ensure I don’t fall into the worry trap?
Do I practice being present? If not, how might I begin to do that?

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/moisseyev

Angie Grant Angie Grant is passionate about helping others become the best versions of themselves—whether in family life, ministry leadership, or in supporting schools and educators. She’s all in! Her greatest joys—besides Jesus and her husband, Stan—are the four who call her “Mom” (three biological and one through the gift of adoption). An even sweeter title? “Lolli” to her five grandkids.

Angie holds a degree in Child and Family Studies and currently serves on the staff at Cloverhill Church, where she and her husband have been leading for over 25 years. She is the Executive Director of Cloverhill Christian Academy, located in Midlothian, Virginia. Angie is a dedicated advocate for foster children and families, and also serves as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner, offering support in her community and beyond. In addition to her roles in church and education, Angie contributes her insight and leadership as a board member for Families First and the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services.

How does she do it all? With purpose and passion—as a coach in family life, ministry, and schools, Angie brings experience, empathy, and a heart for helping others thrive.

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