And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Matthew 6:28-29
Lillies
Moving to the New Testament today, I found these verses incredibly powerful. Jesus is giving his sermon on the mount and this text is about worry and anxiety. He is speaking here about why we should not be stressed over the things we can’t control. We should trust in God to care for us.
He talks about lilies in the field, about flowers! If you ever felt like you were not worthy of God’s provision just turn to these verses. He reminds us that not even King Solomon dressed as beautifully as the lilies. In the world we live in today it is very hard to compete with others who have the best clothes, cars, homes, you name it. There will always be someone with more than you. There will always be someone better looking, more athletic, with better grades or job status, and yet, God tells us we should not be anxious over these things. He will give us all we need. We are worthy of His provision. That provision may not look like the nicest car, or newest mobile phone, but it will be what you need.
Also, have you ever been around someone who just glowed? Maybe it was a woman with the pregnant glow, or someone who had recently had something amazing happen and they just seemed to glow. Well, when we seek God’s kingdom and live in His word (our spiritual food), His light shines upon us. We glow. I know this because I have seen it in others. God’s glory will clothe you, it will make you more beautiful than the flowers in the fields or the bright colors of the sunset. His word and glory are all we really need.
Meditation: Read through the scriptures and spend 5-10 minutes (or more if you have time) in silence. Ask God to reveal to you in that silence the beauty of His Glory and the satisfaction of His word.
Mindset shift
1. Think through the needs in your life. Water, food, clothing, shelter. Have these needs been met consistently? If not, have there been times when they were met in an unexpected way?
2. Think of those things you have that are more than needs, they are wants. How much do you live in excess? How much of that excess can you give to someone in need?. Begin to look for opportunities to meet other’s needs. Find a volunteer opportunity, a child to sponsor or a food closet that needs donations. The more you give to others the more likely your mind will focus less what you find as inadequacies and more on meeting the needs of others.