Thank you so much for the positive feedback in the comments or in person regarding last month’s post. I guess I’m not the only one dealing with worry and anxiety (LOL)? There’s much more on this topic – so let’s dive into “Round Two”!

Jesus spoke about three object lessons that are right in front of us to remind us not to worry and that He will take care of us. Those three things are:

1. The Birds of the Air
2. The Flowers in the Field
3. The Current Day on the Calendar

Let’s start by taking a look at:

1. The Birds of the Air – Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life . . . Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? (Matthew 6: 25-26) Think about it – have you ever seen a starving bird? I’ve seen other hungry animals roaming the streets. We used to have a neighborhood feral cat that lived on the streets for at least eight years! He would disappear for weeks – and then unexpectedly show up at our house. Sometimes he was gaunt and skinny – and we would give him tuna and other delicacies to put weight on him again. Birds are always looking for food, but they aren’t skinny, gaunt, and frail. The Father has a variety of ways to feed them: worms, seeds, fruit, insects, bird feeders, etc. Next time you and I are struggling with worry – we can stop, slow down, and look for or think about birds: “Oh, yeah. If God takes care of them – why wouldn’t He take care of me?” Remember also the key point birds look for food. Unless they are babies, they don’t sit in their nest and wait for food to be delivered to them.
2. The Flowers in the Field – “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the flowers of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for the wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.” (Matthew 6: 28 – 30) Growing up in Colorado – I saw fields of wildflowers all the time on hikes. In Texas, we have the joy of seeing bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes seasonally. The seeds aren’t planted for them. They aren’t on a watering schedule. We don’t give them Miracle-Gro. God takes care of them. Again, pause, take a moment and gaze at how beautiful, detailed, and elegant a group of flowers are (or a single flower by itself). That is a miniscule comparison to how much God cares about you and I.
3. The Current Day – “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6: 34) This is a tough one. There is nothing wrong with being mindful and learning from the past. And it is healthy to have vision and a “rough draft” idea of what our future may look like. However, it is when we dwell, obsess, agonize, and give the majority of our mental and emotional strength to the past and future which leads straight to anxiety. The majority of news broadcasts are centered on the topic of fear. Speaker and author Tony Robbins states, “Unhappy people continually live in the past. Stressed people continually live in the future.” Read that again. One of my favorite quotes to counterattack the past and future comes from Jesse Itzler who says, “Be present where your feet are.” What does that look like? Sincerely look people in the eye, listen attentively, take in the moment – and most importantly, we need to put our electronic devices down.

Conclusion: The next time stress, anxiety, and worry try to get into your head – look around for some birds, flowers, or your shoes (present where feet are) as a reminder and how we can change our focus. There’s the amazing cycle of once we change our thoughts – then our feelings start to change. Once we start feeling different, then we start taking actions to align with our feelings. Just like coaches used to yell at me while I was daydreaming or watching airplanes while playing little league right field, “Rische – get your head in the game!!!”. I like it better how Paul teaches us, Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische