Facing the UnknownSample

FREEDOM FROM WORRY

Call it what you want, facing the unknown often causes us to worry (or flip-out, or lose it, or however you want to say it). There’s this natural anxiety that washes over us when we’re trying to peer into the future and have no idea what’s going to happen. We can imagine some things that might happen, and following that rabbit-trail can get real scary real quick. But, I’m sure if you’ve ever found yourself spiraling downward into worry and shared that with someone, you’ve probably received the same utterly unhelpful advice I have…don’t worry. Oh…don’t worry? I never thought of that…thank you so much for your help. [insert eye-roll emoji]

Fortunately, Jesus tackled the concept of worry head on. And while his advice was in fact “don’t worry,” he provided some much-needed context as to why we shouldn’t worry. You’ll read it for yourself in a second, but Jesus gives us two examples from nature: flowers and birds. In both cases, he points out how they don’t worry (I mean, how would a flower worry in the first place?). But, the real point of his teaching is that these creatures don’t worry because God provides everything they need. While birds aren’t consciously aware of it, God has always and will always provide them with food, shelter, and water. I live in the desert where there is little rainfall and a relentless sun, and yet wildflowers cover the hillsides at certain times of year. No one plants them or cares for them, God just provides everything they need despite the harsh climate they live in. 

Jesus wraps it up pointing out what should be obvious: God cares way more about you and me than he does about birds and flowers. We are his prized possession…his favorite thing he ever created. If he’s going to take care of little things like pigeons and dandelions, he’s absolutely going to take care of us. The real question for us then becomes, do we trust that God’s way is better than our way? You see, often we worry not because we fear something bad happening (though that's part of it sometimes), but it’s because we worry things won’t work out exactly the way we want them to. Are you willing to give that up to trust that however God works it out will actually be better for you than whatever you had in mind in the first place? I can’t tell you how many times I didn’t get my way, only to see later that what I got was way better because God is in control and knows better than I do. So, what are you worrying about, and are you willing to let God have control of it? He’s going to work it out, and it's going to be better than whatever "perfect" outcome you've dreamed up in your head.