Why worry when you can pray? Worry ends where faith begins.
Church sign messages. They worry me to no end. I worry even when I could pray because my teens live in a crazy, over-sexualized world! What is wrong with my faith and what 10 tips & tricks will help me fix it?! I mean. I really. Cannot. Even.
Church signs. They mean well. They want me to feel better. To turn to God. Give God my fears. But I just end up with more worries. Guilt. Shame.
I don’t think God meant all that when he talks to us about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. Drift for a moment on that image. A field far away. The breeze and sunshine envelopes you. All your cares wash away better even than with Calgon. Wait. Full stop. That’s not what God meant either
For this reason, don’t worry about the logistics of life. For what reason? For the ones listed directly before verse 25. Because you cannot serve two masters. God and money. Because your treasures are in heaven, not on this earth. Because you don’t have to show out on your holy deeds. Because your treasures are in heaven where your Holy Father is.
God isn’t trying to shame us out of our cares for our kids or into church to pray and be happy. He is not saying that only the faithless experience concern over the concerning. He is saying, don’t worry about money and food and cars and houses and clothing. I got all that. I can feed birds and grow flowers. Surely, I can keep you warm and fed.
Surrender. God does not want us to worry more over our worry. He wants us to surrender.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.