La Nuit Porte Conseil

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” — Matthew 6:34

I once traveled to Egypt with three friends. We were remarkably diverse—different in race, gender, nationality, and even in how we liked to travel. As the trip neared its end, the toll of nearly two weeks of walking, navigating, and constant compromising began to wear on us. Fatigue made even small decisions feel weighty.

One evening, we were planning our climb up Mount Sinai the next morning. Some wanted to walk. Others preferred riding camels. What should have been a simple logistical conversation turned into a drawn-out, overly polite discussion. Everyone was trying to be considerate: “I’m okay with anything, but maybe this would be better…” “Perhaps Michael would prefer that…” Round and round we went, like a car circling endlessly on a roundabout. No one wanted to offend, but no one could decide either.

Then one of our friends, originally from Africa, gently said, “La nuit porte conseil.” It’s a French saying that means “The night brings wisdom.” He reminded us that we were tired and likely not in the best state to decide. Let's sleep on it, he suggested. And so we did.

source: https://laqvt.fr/la-nuit-porte-conseil/

The next morning, something had shifted. The tension had dissolved. What had felt urgent—even divisive—the night before now felt simple. We quickly agreed on a plan that worked for everyone. What was hard had become easy. Somehow, the night had indeed brought wisdom.

That moment came back to me recently during my morning devotion, as I meditated on Jesus’ words in Matthew 6. After teaching his disciples not to worry about food or clothing—because God provides—Jesus concludes with this profound truth: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

I was feeling overwhelmed as I was in a major life transition—stepping into a new role, preparing to sell our house, looking for a new home, finding new schools for the kids, organizing a cross-country move—all while my family was away in Korea. My to-do list was endless: 1) New role at work, 2) Selling our house, 3) Buying or renting a new one, 4) School enrollment, 5) Moving logistics...

As I stared at the list, something clicked. Almost everything I was worried about hadn’t even happened yet. These were potential problems, not present ones. I was carrying the weight of imagined futures. Then I reread the verse: “Tomorrow will worry about itself.” And it hit me—Jesus was making a subtle but profound point. The one worrying about tomorrow… is tomorrow. Not me. Not now. That burden doesn’t belong to today. The Message version put it beautifully:

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”The subject of action is God, not me. The one in charge—is not me, but God.

source: https://vocal.media/writers/tomorrow-8xc950nps

That night in Egypt taught me something similar. Some decisions don’t need to be forced, especially when we’re exhausted. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is rest. To trust that clarity, peace, and provision will come. And that God is already waiting in our tomorrows. As a father of four and a minister living paycheck to paycheck, I know the temptation to worry is real. But the spiritual discipline of letting go—of trusting God with tomorrow—frees us to live more fully today.