The Lies Anxiety Tells (Day 3)
MORE LOVED THAN LILIES
God provides more for the temporary than we do for the eternal. He provides infinitely more for His image.
Matthew 6:28-30 (ESV)
And why are you anxious 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 arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Devotional Thought
Jesus uses lilies to make an incredible point, and honestly, it's a little sassy. He's essentially saying, "I do a better job providing for things that are temporary than you do for things that are eternal."
Think about that for a second. Those lilies are here today and thrown in the oven tomorrow. They're temporary. Grass. And yet God dresses them better than Solomon dressed himself in all his glory. Solomon was the richest, most powerful king of his time, and God is saying, "My temporary creation looks better than his best effort."
So here's the question: if God provides that extravagantly for grass, how much more will He provide for you? You're not temporary. You're eternal. You're made in His image. You're His child.
But anxiety doesn't want you to believe that. Anxiety whispers another lie: "Your plans are better than His provision." It wants you to think that your strategy, your effort, your constant worry and attention will somehow come up with a better solution than God's faithfulness.
Can I just say something? That's ridiculous. You cannot out think God's faithfulness. Your best plan on your best day will never compare to what God can do. Yet we spend so much time and energy trying to figure everything out ourselves, as if God needs our help or can't be trusted to follow through.
The truth is this: God provides more for the temporary than we do for the eternal. So if He cares that much about grass, imagine how much He cares about you. Don't let anxiety fool you into thinking your strategy is better than His provision. It's not. It never will be.
Think about that for a second. Those lilies are here today and thrown in the oven tomorrow. They're temporary. Grass. And yet God dresses them better than Solomon dressed himself in all his glory. Solomon was the richest, most powerful king of his time, and God is saying, "My temporary creation looks better than his best effort."
So here's the question: if God provides that extravagantly for grass, how much more will He provide for you? You're not temporary. You're eternal. You're made in His image. You're His child.
But anxiety doesn't want you to believe that. Anxiety whispers another lie: "Your plans are better than His provision." It wants you to think that your strategy, your effort, your constant worry and attention will somehow come up with a better solution than God's faithfulness.
Can I just say something? That's ridiculous. You cannot out think God's faithfulness. Your best plan on your best day will never compare to what God can do. Yet we spend so much time and energy trying to figure everything out ourselves, as if God needs our help or can't be trusted to follow through.
The truth is this: God provides more for the temporary than we do for the eternal. So if He cares that much about grass, imagine how much He cares about you. Don't let anxiety fool you into thinking your strategy is better than His provision. It's not. It never will be.
Application Questions
- What situation in your life are you trying to control through your own planning and strategy instead of trusting God's provision?
- How does understanding God's care for temporary things like lilies change your perspective on His care for you?
Today's Challenge
Take one area where you've been relying on your own plans and intentionally surrender it to God today. Tell Him, "Your provision is better than my plans." Then watch what He does.
Today's Prayer
God, I confess that I've been trusting my own plans more than Your provision. I've acted like my strategy is better than Your faithfulness, and I'm sorry. Help me see that if You care so much for temporary grass and flowers, You care infinitely more for me. Teach me to trust Your provision instead of clutching my own plans. I surrender my need to control everything. I believe You are faithful. In Jesus' name, amen.
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