“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?” (Matthew 6:26)
Jesus knows his followers. He knows that they often worry about things like food, clothing, health and security. These are necessary, but worrying too much about them can distract our thoughts from God. That should not happen, Jesus says: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Moreover, anxiety does not help us at all: “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27).
However, Jesus does not just tell us not to worry. He also gives us a good reason why we don’t need to: our heavenly Father knows what we need, and He is able to provide. Just as He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers of the field, He will provide for our needs. We may ask Him for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). This does not mean we need not do our daily work anymore to earn a living, but it does mean that we should stop worrying and trust in God’s provision for all the things we can’t control.
Do you trust God as your heavenly Father? Does this help you to stop worrying too much?