Consider...

" Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?....But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
-Matthew 6:28-30, 33

Sometimes our problems can completely so completely fill our vision that we can't see around them.
God knows that we are weak and finite, prone to doubt, and easily distracted with worry. So He gives us instruction for how to overcome worry...

Consider the flowers.



Beautiful, temporary, yet each one painted with care by the Maker.
Details confuse and worry us. Details never confuse or worry God. He has the whole picture perfectly mapped out.  Day upon day, minutes at a time, each second that you live He knows, He plans, He sees, He walks with you through it.


I admit, I have days where problems become overwhelming. This morning I had to count the small victories. I got out of bed. I made it to work. Just surviving seemed to take all the focus I could muster. As I drove to work, frustrated and hopeless, God arrested me in the middle of my fretting. "What are you looking at?"


I stopped for a moment. Long enough to realize what He meant. My eyes were on my problems. I was consumed with my failures, other peoples' failures, hopeless situations, frustrations, worry...


Are my problems bigger than me? Yes, they are.
Are my problems bigger than my God? Oh, no, they are not.


Consider the flowers....


Small, insignificant, no value except that God crafts each one. He clothes each one.  A flower cannot make itself grow, cannot protect itself, cannot beautify itself. So it sits quietly, patiently, and just does what it was made to do. It grows where God plants it, becomes what God planned it, and looks like what God made it.


I can learn a lot from the flowers...

...and from sparrows

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.-Matthew 10:29-31

Just think about it.

My next question for God was how to stop worrying. He, of course, had an answer ready.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.1 Peter 5:6-7

Releasing worry will take humility, for, in essence, it is releasing control of my life and situation to let Him deal with it in His way. It is the better alternative, though. He carries my cares and gives me rest. He details my life with more carefulness than He details each lily. He watches over me with greater concern than He watches the sparrows. All I have to do is do what He made me to do.

Be encouraged today to take your cares to God and leave them there for Him to deal with. Accept His rest instead. Take the time that you used to spend fretting and use it to enjoy the journey He's put you on.  Consider the lilies....and the sparrows....and His great care for you.