Scared of the Future? What Jesus Would Say

Hey, Carpool Crew. I'm Pastor Justin and I'm really glad you're here. Let's talk about something a lot of kids think about, even if they don't say it out loud. What if I'm scared of the future? Now, maybe you've had this thought before. 'I don't want to grow up yet. What if life changes too much? What if my big brother or sister moves out and I'm stuck here without them? What if someday I have to leave home too?' Now, here's the thing. All October we're talking about: what would Jesus say about the things that scare us? And this is such a good one, because I know that change can feel weird. Growing up feels big. And the future, well, it's full of question marks. But guess what? You are not the only one who's felt that way, and Jesus has something really important to say about it. In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 34, here's what it says: 'Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' This verse is part of one of Jesus's most famous teachings called the Sermon on the Mount. He was talking to everyday people. People like farmers, kids, moms and dads, people who had real things to worry about. 'Will I have enough food tomorrow? What will happen to my family? What if tomorrow is worse than today?' Jesus didn't say their worries were silly. He just said something better. 'Look at how your father in heaven takes care of the birds and the flowers and the sky. He will also take care of you too.' So instead of being afraid of what's next, Jesus invites us to live fully right now and trust him with tomorrow. So if Jesus were sitting in the backseat with you today and you said, 'I don't wanna grow up. I don't want anything to change,' I think he might smile back and look at you and say, 'You don't have to figure everything out right now. I'm already in your future. I know how things are gonna go. But today, let's live today together. Be a kid. Be present. And let me carry the stuff you don't need to worry about.' Let's talk about a kid we heard from. She's a fifth grader, and she sent us this story that fit perfectly. She loved having her older sister at home, but her sister was going away to college. They watched movies together. They played board games together. Her sister helped with homework and always made her laugh. But the week before move-in day, she started getting really sad. She even cried in the car. She told her mom, 'If she's leaving, then someday I'll have to leave too, and I don't want that.' Her mom reminded her of Matthew 6:34 and she said, 'You don't have to worry about that now. You have today, and today your sister's still here. Let's make the most of it.' So she made a plan. One last board game night, one last sister sleepover, and lots of hugs. Her sister left. It was hard, but she didn't let fear steal the joy from her final week. And guess what? They still text all the time. And she's learning that change doesn't mean everything good goes away. It just means new good things are coming too. So if the future feels scary, try this. Breathe and come back to now. Ask yourself, 'What can I enjoy about today?' Say a prayer like, 'Jesus, I trust you with tomorrow. Help me enjoy today.' Also, talk to someone about how you're feeling. A parent, a close friend, a youth pastor, a kid's pastor. Don't carry big thoughts by yourself. And last, maybe write a list of what you're thankful for today. Sometimes the best way to stop feeling fear for the future is to enjoy what God's given you right now. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you love today's podcast, consider sharing it in a Facebook group or heading over and leaving us a rating and review. It'll help other families discover the podcast too. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What's something you're really enjoying right now, and how can you thank God for this part of today? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.