There are many things that can cause us to worry. We can worry about our family, our jobs, our country, the up coming elections, and about the future. I have been known to be a worrier. Most of the time the things I find myself worrying about never come about so I end up wasting time and energy by worrying. I also find that when I worry my focus is taken off of the Lord Jesus. Jesus needs to be our focus at all times. He is our Savior and Lord. He is still on the throne and one Day He will return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will bring the Kingdom of God to earth in completed form.
I know all of those things as I am sure you do as well, but that doesn't stop us sometimes from worrying about something. Many of us have made an art form of worrying. I have heard about people who were worried about worrying too much. Sometimes it can seem like a bad habit and if we find ourselves not worrying about something we start to wonder if something is wrong.
Worrying doesn't solve anything really. It actually robs us of our faith in the Lord our God and it can keep us from accomplishing God's will for our lives. I think the devil wants us to be trapped in a spiral of worry so that we will be essentially ineffective witnesses for the Lord.
Lately I must confess I have felt worried about certain things in my life. I decided to go outside today and take some pictures and just get alone with the Lord and His creation for a little while. I heard birds chirping in the trees and I say some flying high in the sky above me. I was reminded of what Jesus told His disciples in Luke 12:22-34 which says,
"22 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.
23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24 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!
25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your lifea?
26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Jesus tells them and us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat, about our bodies, or what we will wear. There are times that we are very tempted in worrying about these exact things. The thing is worrying about these things can become a trap. When we get so busy trying to provide for ourselves the material things that we think we need we lose sight of the One who truly provides for us, the Lord Himself. The Lord is our provider. We can't do anything without Him. When we lose that sense then we fail to even realize who God is and we fail to recognize how weak and powerless we truly are without Him in our lives. We end up becoming self serving, prideful, and arrogant. We end up seeing ourselves as self sufficient and even god like in our smugness.
We must remember who are provider truly is. Is it the Lord who provides for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). Jesus tells us not to worry about our daily needs. He wants us to look at the creation that He spoke into being as an example to His awesome provision. He points to the birds of the air. They don't have tiny farm tractors and till the grown and grow food. They don't store up crops in fancy barns. How many birds have you seen rubbing their wings together and pacing back and forth worrying if they were going to get enough to eat? I am guessing none.
The Lord provides for them. They still have to leave the nest and find the food, but the Lord made a way for them to get it. What an awesome God He is! He provides so greatly for the birds. Will He not provide for we people who are created in His image? Yes, He will and even more so.
Jesus continues saying, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" The answer is that no one can add any time to their lives at all. We may try by eating right and exercising, but there is an appointed time for us die but once and then the Judgement. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ and trust in Him as our Lord and Savior we don't have to fear death or Judgement. It is by the shed blood of Christ that we are saved. We can't save ourselves. We must come to Jesus in faith and trust in His grace that is available to everyone who believes on Him for salvation.
Jesus leaves us with this saying, "But seek first His kingdom and all these things will be given to you as well."
The Lord Jesus wants us to have our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls focused on Him and His kingdom. Our focus needs to be on the Lord and Him alone. Sometimes we get distracted with things that won't matter in eternity. We get consumed with two sinful imperfect people running for the highest political position in the land and we take our eyes off the One who controls everything. The Lord wants us to cast our cares upon Him because He truly does care for us. Worrying takes us down a path far from the Lord and our worries can overwhelm us to the point where we feel utterly hopeless.
We must remember that we indeed do have hope in this life and in the life to come, eternal life. We have hope in Jesus Christ. He is the One waiting for us to come to Him. He is standing there with His arms held out open to you and I like a parent waiting for their child to run into their loving embrace. We have hope in Jesus. He is waiting for you and I to stop worrying and striving. He is waiting for us to stop trying to do things in our own power and in our own strength. He is waiting for us to turn to Him with our worries and fears.
Turn it over to Jesus.
He is waiting for you.
Lord Heavenly Father,
We thank You for You goodness and Your provisions.
Thank You for meeting all of our needs.
You are Holy, Holy, Holy!
Help us not to worry about things we can't control.
Help us to have a fresh faith in You.
Bless each of us this day and the days ahead.
May You receive all the Glory, Honor, and Praise.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
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