Life can be so very worrisome. There’s always so much to do and take care of, always some bad news in the world and always that sense of never being able to accomplish all we hope we will in a day. Worry overwhelms and hinders our souls. It hinders our relationships and it hinders our joy in life.

In this first devotional, I want to invite you to consider how much you worry and determine that though trust in God your Heavenly Father, you are enough, you are provided for and worry is not going to hold you down. It will be a constant battle to combat worry daily in life, but with God’s help, you can learn to trust and surrender the battle to Him.

I was reading and rereading this portion of scripture the other day Matthew 6:25-34. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

It’s true isn’t it that we worry about how much we are eating or how little? Are we eating the right foods or the wrong ones? Can we fit into those skinny jeans we love so much or are we on trend with the latest fashions?

Look at that last sentence in that verse: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ” Isn’t there more to life than that? Jesus is clearly trying to show how much life matters more than these passing things. Life is about loving our friends and family, caring for the world around us, finding joy in the little moments and taking care of our hearts and minds.

²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

How valuable do you feel? Do you feel that your life is meaningless and no one sees you? Do you worry God doesn’t hear or see you? God sees the birds, tiny little animals that we barely see. He cares for them, He actually provides for them and they don’t have to rush here and there trying to make sure they are enough in His eyes and the eyes of others. They fully trust Him. Wouldn’t it be nice to just trust and stop rushing?

²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

I love this particular verse and it really struck me as being so poignant for our culture today. Really, how much time can we add to our already busy days by worrying? What does worry really accomplish for us? The only thing it accomplishes is giving us more anxiety and fear and distracts from what really matters in life.

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Does it really matter how much in style you are? What about that inner beauty inside of you, the person that The Creator made so intricate and beautiful? Each of us holds an inner beauty that shines through despite what clothing we wear. I encourage you to look at yourself this way first before you ever get dressed, put on makeup or jewelry.

Flowers are so natural and beautiful, they are so detailed and perfect just the way they are. They need no makeup, new clothes or jewelry to adorn them. Clothing and makeup and jewelry are all good things and are necessary for life too but if your focus is fully on keeping up appearances and comparing yourself to others, you will be sadly disappointed in life. It is better to remember God created you beautiful no matter what you wear and He has provided all you need for making a beautiful statement just like He provides flowers their natural beauty.

³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith?

³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

People rush and run after so many temporary things in life, things that really have no substance or meaning. A good example of how people run after all these things is Social Media and how much appearances matter to them. What matters most in life is love. Love that is given from you and back to you. Love comes from God, God is love itself. (1st John 4:8)

³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

When we trust God and we seek after who He is and what He desires for our lives, everything else falls into place. It may not always feel like it is falling into place because we cannot see all He is doing for us behind the scenes. But that is what trust and faith is, believing despite not seeing.

³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own

I know in my own life, worry is a constant battle and a daily challenge to overcome. In this scripture, Jesus is teaching us not to worry by revealing that our heavenly Father wants and loves us and desires to give us all that we need. We often times forget that. We feel God is distant and does not care to provide for us. We become our own providers in our own strength. That only lasts for so long though before we are burnt out and done.

The wonderful thing about God is He never gets burnt out or done. The scripture says He never sleeps, Psalm 121:4. He is always watching and caring for us. He never sleeps so that we can sleep.

Maybe you have been a survivor in life and have learned to take care of yourself and cannot trust or rest for fear of losing all you have worked so very hard for. God calls us to trust Him, for when we do we can stop trying so hard to make it all fit, make everything perfect, and survive. When we trust that He will provide, a peace and calmness overtakes our hearts and minds and we can rest in the fact that we are loved, we are cared for and we are protected.

I remember feeling this way as a child, when I was trusting my parents to care for and protect me. There was no worry because I was fully filled with the knowledge of love and provision. In this same way, God loves and provides for us and longs for us to see His deep love for us.

I hope you were encouraged today by this devotional, please leave me any comments or questions below. Feel free to share this post as well with anyone who may need encouragement today. Blessings beyond measure for you today!