The Birds of the Air
“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 more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26
I am a worrier. I make no bones about it. It’s a besetting sin that I have struggled with most of my life. Anxious thoughts and the feeling of impending doom has plagued me for as long as I can remember. When the Lord graciously saved me a little over five years ago, the darkness lifted but remnants of sinful anxiety remain in the flesh. I’m convinced that most all believers struggle with what the Puritan’s titled ‘besetting sins’. It may be different for you, but for me it’s anxiety and fear.
The verse above from Jesus’ great sermon on the mount has given me great comfort over the years. Like other examples of our Lord’s teachings, He uses a lesser to greater analogy. If God so cares for those little birds how much more will He care for His adopted children who are in Christ? It’s about right thinking theologically which leads to practical living.
My anxiety can stem from ridiculous scenarios I create in my mind to worry about the mundane things of this life. My anxiety can also stem from my sin. But at it’s absolute core, anxiety (no matter the cause) is sinful for a believer. Anxious thoughts and worry is tantamount to telling God, “I don’t believe You and I don’t trust You.” That stings. But the reality is if we didn’t have the sinful tendencies as redeemed children of God then there would be no need for the Lord to tell us not to worry. We still battle the sinful flesh. It’s one of the reasons that for the believer, death is that final step in sanctification that finally and fully releases us from sin. In a way only understood by Christians, death is the doorway to glorification and the removal of this body of sin and death to a new glorified body free from sin. I can’t wait! But until then, the battle rages on. We are called to mortify the flesh. We are called to fight the good fight and set aside the sin that so easily entangles us. (Hebrews 12:1) We do this by walking by the Spirit. And that begins by taking the very sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
You may deal with anxiety as I do. You may deal with it so severely that you feel crippled by it. (Believe me, I’ve been there.) What our Lord tells us is to trust Him. Realize that the very One who spoke and brought all things into existence from nothing is Your heavenly Father. He will work all things out for good for those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) That may mean experiencing His Father discipline as His children. We must realize that our Father’s concern is not foremost for our happiness but our holiness and conformity to the image of His Son.
Think about what Jesus is telling believers in this passage. When you are worrying, anxious or fearful simply stop and look out the window at the little birds flying about. They neither store nor reap. They simply rest in the care of God. God feeds them. They don’t run about anxious and fearful of where their next meal will come from. Jesus’ point is if God provides for those little birds how much more will He provide for His adopted children. How much more will He provide for the elect whom He has given to His Son. We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ. In Christ, we are adopted into the kingdom and we now, by the Spirit, call God who resides in unapproachable light “Father”. This is enough to bring us to our knees. What glorious grace and love. As John writes in 1 John 3:1, “See ywhat kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”
This my friend is the cure for anxiety. It is only available to true believers – to those in Christ. Yes, we will battle sin until we die or until Christ returns. But we are to fight the good fight and renew our minds on the truths of God’s Word and His promises. Biblical theology produces doxology and right thinking – which in turn produces practical living. I admit that I so often forget these great promises. I am thankful for the Church and for wonderful godly friends and family who remind me of these truths and exhort and rebuke me when needed.
Marvel at the love of Christ to His family. Cast all of your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) Obey His loving command to look at the little birds and be reminded of how much your Father loves you in Christ Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria
Related posts:
- Birds & Fish Dying – Is it the End?
- Whate’er My God Ordains
- True Revival
- Full Satisfaction to God!
- My Name is Legion
Tags: Anxiety, Fear, God, Jesus, Lord, Scripture, Sermon on the Mount
I’ll keep you in my prayers. I have the same trouble, but not as intensely as I once had.
It got to the point where I knew I had to lay it down. KNOWING I needed to didn’t make it possible.
Know what did?
I finally accepted this core truth of life – I am in control of 0% of what happens. Understanding the Sovereignty of God helped me understand what I have control of – nothing.
I do not believe in deterministic views of God’s Sovereignty – I don’t believe He has decided what I will eat for lunch tomorrow – not that He cannot; not that He may not; just that it is not necessarily the case. The die is not cast so to speak. But, I have no control.
Knowing that I have no control has helped me reduce my anxiety. Why worry about what I cannot control? That is foolish. I worried about everything because I am a control freak and deep down my desire was to control everything.
Now I know I control nothing. I’m more at peace.
Hey! I have not even decided who I’m voting for Saturday! Have not watched that many debates. Have not lost any sleep about who I will vote for.
The political junkie control freak in me just kind of faded away once I realized I cannot control anything.
Cool. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Thanks Randy,
So true brother.
“I am a worrier. I make no bones about it. It’s a besetting sin that I have struggled with most of my life. Anxious thoughts and the feeling of impending doom has plagued me for as long as I can remember. When the Lord graciously saved me a little over five years ago, the darkness lifted but remnants of sinful anxiety remain in the flesh.”
This is me when it comes to full assurance of my salvation. I think it will go like this this I see His beautiful face and I hear the words from His precious mouth. “Well done good and faithful servant”
I can’t understand my blindness with “easy believism” and how it had such a hold on me for all those many years. I don’t understand why God open my eyes at this late stage of life instead of when I was a false convert at 20. I don’t get it and I worry. This website and your testimony Jay has helped me so much to realize that I wasn’t the only one deceived with false doctrine and a flesh that didn’t want to forsake sin. I am a wretch. Did you see the “Run” video? I will send the link. Love you brother. Thanks for this post.
Hey Blaine,
But thanks be to God for the wonderful assurance that He gives through His Word and through His Spirit which He has given us as a pledge and down payment to eternal life.