Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
When I began reading this chapter, the first thing that stuck out to me was the heading that says, “Do Not Worry.” If I’m being honest, this was almost triggering for me. While reading yesterday’s chapter (Luke 11), I was reminded of the verses in Matthew 6 that tell us not to be anxious. Then what happens? I get to Luke 12, and it’s the same thing again. Okay, God. I hear you. I acknowledge I’m a control freak who likes to know what’s coming! I am a worrier! But come on… I can’t be the only one, right?
So, if we acknowledge that we’re prone to worry or prone to anxious thoughts, how do we overcome that? Just hearing “don’t worry” is usually not the answer we’re looking for. The good news is that verses 22-34 give us a lot of guidance on how, and most importantly, why we shouldn’t worry.
Can I be honest again and tell you that I have to come back to these verses on a regular basis to remind myself of God’s faithfulness to take care of my every need? He reminds me that if He takes care of the birds and flowers, He will surely take care of me. Birds can’t grow their own food, but they always have something to eat. Wildflowers can’t work to make themselves grow, yet they do grow, and they’re always beautiful. Scripture says they are “dressed in splendor.”
Verse 30 says that God knows exactly what we need. It’s my responsibility to seek His kingdom FIRST, and everything I need will be taken care of. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that I have a job to do here, too. My job isn’t to worry or make things happen on my own. My job is simply to treasure the things of heaven instead of the things here on earth and to follow after God with my whole heart.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- What do you tend to worry about most? Make a point to present these worries specifically to God through prayer this week!
- What are some specific ways you’ve seen God's faithfulness in providing your needs? Write them down so you can come back to your list when you need a reminder!