CONSIDER THE LILIES

“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” The Gospel of Matthew 6:25-34

This has to be one of the most reassuring passages of scripture and contains lessons we should take to heart, especially in these trying economic and personal times. It’s been something I’ve really been trying to implement in my life over the last year or so. On Sunday, I didn’t had the off from playing for church, so I visited Lane’s church, and it just so happens this was the Gospel reading for the day. It has resonated even more within me this week, as I’ve struggled to deal with my own personal issues, fears, frustrations and insecurities.

One of the most powerful books I’ve ever read is Eckert Tolle’s “The Power of Now”. This scriptural passage is essentially what the entire book is all about. It’s about living in the present—the now, which is, essentially, all we have. It is so easy to loose sight of that when there are thousands of little things every day that are coming our way, weighing us down—how will we pay the bills? How secure are our jobs? What about the relationships in our lives?

To think that there is a Supreme source out there who cares for us more than the lilies of the field is an incredible, mind-blowing concept to grasp. It’s so simple in theory, so difficult to accept, to process.

Here’s my confession: I have lots of fears these days, and am battling anxiety like I haven’t in quite some time. I’m trying to remind myself to “consider the lilies”…to not sweat the small stuff. I struggle with what I truly believe spiritually. I struggle with worries about finances, relationships, and it seems there are always more questions than answers. On top of all that, this week has found me being exhausted beyond my wildest imagination. The lilies. They don’t toil or spin, and yet, there’s not a king with more splendor than them. I just have to remember that!