Hakuna Matata

Hakuna matata.


'It means 'no worries', for the rest of your days,' and it isn't just a song you can sing from a movie you know by heart.  (And just in case you are one of the folks who cannot quote the movie verbatim from memory, it's from Disney's The Lion King.)


And it's biblical.  


Yes, hakuna matata is biblical.


“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. 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! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’” (Luke 12:22-26, NIV). [Emphasis is mine]


If you're anything like me, you need that reminder.  A lot. 


So it bears repeating.


I was called to live a hakuna matata life....one with no worries.


Sometimes it sounds so easy.  In a very churchy way, it's easy to say, but oh-so-hard to live out.

• Don't worry about your youngest child's complete and utter disdain of baby food - at 8 months old.
• Don't worry about her horrible reactions to rice and oatmeal and what that might mean for her down the road.
• Don't worry about your 4 year old-going-on-14's sassy attitude and disobedient streak.
• Don't worry about your oldest child's growing pains.
• Don't worry about funding three children in school and daycare, and eventually college.
• Don't worry about summer plans.
• Don't worry about ill relatives.
• Don't worry about the current economy.
• Don't worry about your job.

It's quite difficult to not worry about these things, huh?  It certainly is for me.


Although there are plenty, I think I've discovered at least one reason why this is so difficult.  


I sometimes confuse care or concern with worry.  


Think about that statement for a minute.


I feel that if I'm not worried about it that must mean I don't care about it.


And I need to stop that thinking.  Immediately. 


Worry-
(verb) - to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. 
(noun) - a worried condition or feeling; uneasiness or anxiety.
(noun) - a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble.


Why do I torment myself?


Why do I allow this anxiety?


Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7, NIV


Care- 
(verb) - to be concerned or solicitous; have thought or regard
(verb) - to feel concern about


Worrying about something is not the same as caring about something.  Jesus wants us to give Him our worries, our fears, our anxieties.  He wants ALL of them.  It says so right there in 1 Peter.


It's not my job to worry.  It's my job to care.  And if I find myself worrying, I'm not allowing God to do His job and I'm also not trusting that He has it all figured out.


Ouch.


Don't worry about your future, God already has it figured out.  Don't worry about your kids, God already has that one covered, too.   Hubby - check.  Job - covered.  Finances - yep, He's got that area, too.


We can care very deeply about each of these areas, but we can do so without worrying.  


It's hard.  Really hard.  


And I don't have it down yet.


But I'm certainly trying.


Want to try with me?  


So sing and play with your kids, grab your husband and dance around the room, show your family that you care deeply about them, and live the hakuna matata life.  Obey God today, give Him your worries, and trust Him with tomorrow.


And if you have a lovely bunch of coconuts, I would like to know if they're all standing in a row.