If there’s something to worry about, I will probably be the first one to grab that what-if out of nowhere and contemplate all its possible outcomes. It’s my way of feeling like I can spot trouble before it happens so I can do something to prevent it from becoming my own horrible reality.
Matthew 6:25 tells me NOT to worry about my life.
It’s easy to excuse this sin of mine when I feel like it’s helping me out. But the truth is, it’s not helping me. It’s not protecting me.
Look at the birds! That’s what God tells me every time I worry.
And in these verses, God gives 5 powerful reasons why we don’t need to worry.
Worry Doesn’t Help
And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? (v. 27)
It’s not helpful. It’s not actually keeping me safe like I think. I’m not preventing bad things from happening by worrying about them. All I’m doing is zapping any possible joy and peace right out of the moment. I always regret the time I waste worrying myself sick about something that never even happened. Worry is a waste of time!
God Will Take Care of You
After God tells me worry isn’t really helping me out, he asks me why I worry about his provision.
Why are you worried about clothing? (v. 28)
I worried how God would meet my needs through 6 years of infertility. It felt like God wasn’t answering my prayers. I didn’t want to believe his answer for me was to wait because I didn’t really know if that answer was really no. If his answer wasn’t no, then how long did God want me to wait? If I never became a mother, how would I live with my broken heart? One day, I finally was able to admit my doubts and unbelief to God—that I didn’t think he could really care about the birds in a tree when he just seemed to be ignoring my desperate pleas to be a mother.
And the next thing I knew, God was reminding me in Matthew that he DID care about me. He did love me. It’s just his answers don’t always turn out the way I think they should. And his timing is usually a lot slower than mine.
The thing is, God wanted me to know that even if I didn’t have children, he would still be taking care of me. I would be ok.
When I doubt God’s love and care for me, he reminds me to look at the birds! Share on X
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (v. 26)
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. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you? (v. 27)
Do you believe God will take care of you?
God wants us to believe he loves us enough to take care of us. Share on X
You are Valuable
God also wants us to know we are valuable. We are so valuable that Christ died for us. (John 3:16) And yet we constantly question our worth.
Sometimes I think Jesus lovingly puts his hands on our shoulders and says, why can’t you see it?
You of little faith? (v. 30)
Of course, I care about you. Of course, I will take care of you. Just look at the birds. Look at the flowers. I take care of everything. How much more valuable are you than they?
God Knows What You Need
We don’t have to convince God of our needs. We don’t have to persuade him to care. He already knows. He already cares.
Can’t you just hear the replay of worried thoughts God is speaking to in this next verse? But God, what about? What if? How will I?
Do not worry then, saying, “What will we eat?” Or “What will we drink?” Or “What will we wear for clothing?”; for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (v. 31)
Did you catch that? He knows all the things! Not just some. We don’t have to remind him. He’s doesn’t forget any of our needs!
God Wants You To Focus on the Present
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (v. 34)
We try and fill our thoughts with possibilities of the unknown future instead of trusting God in the present. Instead of piling up worries on today, God wants me to surrender each worry as it comes. Verse 34 even acknowledges that each day has enough of its own troubles.
So how do we stop worrying?
Verse 33 says,
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and, all these things will be added unto you.
When we start fretting about what we think we need, what we really need is to seek the Lord. So the next time you feel worried about your life, look at the birds and remember God promises to take care of you.
What are you worried about today? Leave your prayer request in the comments, I would love to pray for you.
Hello there! I'm Valerie, a mom of four and wife of 27 years. My writing inspires others to cultivate courageous faith and find solace in trusting God, especially in moments of fear and uncertainty. Join me on this adventure as we explore the beauty of trusting God when we are afraid. 
They found a lump on my breast and i will be having my second mammogram and an ultrasound today. I feel that today might change the course of my life. I pray to God that i will have good results. I know that God will be with me no matter the outcome, i pray that God would hear my prayer. It’s difficult to see my self in all the ifs I’ve thought about. I have 2 teenage kids and we just purchased a house. I also lost my job recently and I’m in the process of seeking employment. Whenever i think of the possibilities of what could happen, it makes me sick to my stomach and for some reason whenever i feel instantaneous sharp pain in random places in my body i would attribute it to – is this cancer spreading? Oh the torture.
I’m thankful to God that his words have brought peace in spite of my up and down struggles to control my thinking.
Please pray for me that God will hear my prayers.
Thank you for this encouraging site.
Dear Chris,
What a scary place to be. I think the Lord understands how easy it is to worry about our health. And when we are scared, he has compassion on us. I imagine his words, do not be afraid, are filled with tenderness, love and compassion because he understands we will be afraid. I’m praying you received good results and that your mind is at rest in Him no matter what. As we face a new year, I pray that no matter what happens in this troubled world, God would be close and bring us His joy and peace and hope through it. I’m thinking of you and praying for you and your family.
Thank you for your honest post.
My issue is I run away from worry, think I have left a problem at His feet & one thing. thought or word sends me right back to worry. ! UGH
Yes, it’s a continual surrender isn’t it?
I struggle with fear of being replaced by friends, rejected, deceived and overlooked. God is teaching me who I am in Christ… And it is time for this bondage to be broken! Please pray for me so I can be free of these fears. I know God is doing a new thing as he has revealed to me these areas I struggle with. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing Yvonne. It’s easy to find our sense of worth in how others perceive us. This is an area that I’m learning to let go of as well. Proverbs 29:25 says “Fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
Dear Lord,
I pray Yvonne will walk in confidence in who you made her to be. She is your child. Your daughter. You will never abandon her, never reject her, never deceive her. Father, we thank you for that. When people fail us, it hurts. But we stand with assurance in your promises because you never fail us. our worth is not found in how others treat us or what they think about us. Lord help us to love others as you have loved us.
Please pray for the restoration of my marriage and the strength to keep me standing. Praying my husband’s heart is soften and that God remind him of His teachings. I pray that he be given the courage to begin to rebuild our marriage and to trust me again. I pray that God cease & turn away any ungodly relationships in our lives – God, please wash them away. I believe in God’s promises; all things will work out in His timing. I’m been worried about our future, but your blog has reminded me “to look at the birds & remember God promises to take care of you”
Praying the Lord’s peace over you now Genae. Thank you for sharing your heart here. Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for the restoration and healing of Genae’s marriage. Lord you say if we seek you, we will find you. And so I pray that both of them would seek your will and direction for their lives and for their marriage. Guide them to your truth through your word, through prayer, and through the body of Christ (church). Help them to turn towards relationships that will draw them closer to you and strengthen their marriage. Bring people into their lives that will pour your hope into them. Thank you for always taking care of us. No matter what situation we are in. You will never leave us. You forgive us. You restore us. You help us. Thank you, Lord!
I looked at the birds in our yard; the cardinals and blue jays passed on a spirituality that could only be described as gods will and an inherent sign that our loved ones, both on this earth and more importantly in heaven are with us. Joseph
So true! Thank you for the reminder and the encouragement! My grandma always told me “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy but gets you no where!” 🙂
That’s a great analogy Dawn. Worry is such a waste of time.
I am so proud of the amazing blogger that u have my become my dear friend!
Thank u for this post…it spoke to my soul and many tears were flowing…u know my prayer request already, but I wanted to leave u a comment too?
♥️ u, V ?? ♥️ K-
I am so proud of you my friend!
You have grown into an inspiring author and I am blessed by everything you write.
You already know my prayer request so thank you for your prayers…I covet them bc I don’t have anyone in my life to ask, but you…you are the best anyway???!!!
Love You My Dear Old Friend!
What a blessing to see your comment here. Thank you for your encouraging words to me. You are a wonderful person and friend and I’m glad we have known each other for so long. You are always in my prayers and heart. Love you!
“I’m not preventing bad things from happening by worrying about them.” Couldn’t be more true! Recently wrote on these similar verses and I am truly blessed to have read what God put in your heart in another different unique way.
I love how God ministers His word to us each in a unique way. I’ll have to check out your post. Thank you for visiting.
Your testimony on infertility really hit home. Thanks for sharing how you’ve come to see God’s love is perfect, even if it isn’t exactly what we expect or desire! His ways are higher than ours, and we must trust Him!
Thank you, Dani. Sometimes it’s hard to trust that His ways are higher than our ways, and yet now that I look back on my life I see how true it was and has always been.
Great word, Valerie!
I love this reminder, “When I doubt God’s love and care for me, he reminds me to look at the birds!”
Sure do appreciate you~
Melanie
Thank you, Melanie!
Funny story – when I read this passage a few weeks ago, I really was stressed how God would provide us through some changes going on. Then, I walked out on the car to find bird poop on my windshield. Seriously – cracked me up at the timing! It really helped me to put reality into focus. God cares. God provides. We can rest in Him!
That IS funny! God has a sense of humor 😉
Such a blessed post , Val! Look at the birds! Pause from all the worrying and look up to see see the birds. I am just going to inhale these precious words into my soul today.
Thank you Diana. The wonder of God’s creation always seems to calm my mind. Blessings to you.
Worry is a constant battle with myself Valerie. I dress it it up and convince myself I’m just “being prepared”, or “planning ahead.” I have to stay in constant contact with Jesus to keep my mind at peace. Due to God’s grace, I’m better than I was, but I have to guard my mind. Thank you for sharing these biblical Insights to keep our minds at peace. Have a wonderful Easter weekend and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Yes! “Being overly prepared and planning ahead” are definitely symptoms of worry for me too Horace. I’m so glad our minds can be at peace with Jesus.
I was thinking about your comment on what the Scripture said about worrying about tomorrow, and it made me think of James:
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that” (James 4:13-15, NASB).
When we make plans on our own, worry is a sure companion. What if I can’t make it? What if it doesn’t work out? What if…? On the other hand, when we leave it in His hands, worry finds no place. If the Lord wills, it will happen, and when He opens a door, no one can close it. Worry, where is your power to sting? It is gone! Thank you for sharing about the birds!
Thank you so much for sharing! I think a lot of worry is based on wanting to know what our life will be like “tomorrow” just like the verse says. Instead, we can trust in the Lord’s will and plan for us, which is always so much better than my own plan anyways. I’m so glad He is in control opening doors and noone can thwart His will for us. When we believe that truth, worry has no power over us.
Amen! Thank you Valerie.
Please pray for the restoration of my marriage. Also for me to find a new job. I was recently let go from my job of 18 years. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing Christine. Dear Lord, it sounds like Christine has so much going on. I pray that you would ease her mind as she is looking for a new job. Lord, provide opportunities for her. I pray you would guide her to a job that would be just right for her. Give her peace as she waits and provide for her needs, Lord. I pray for the sadness she feels over her struggling marriage. Lord, would you give her your comfort? I pray your Holy Spirit strengthen her as she seeks you for the restoration of her marriage. Help her face the day when she doesn’t feel like it. Help her have motivation to look for a job when she doesn’t feel like it. Thank you for always being there for us. You see our needs and our hurts. You will not forget us.
All great truths that I need to review daily – for now I’ll look at the birds! Thanks, Valerie and happy good friday!
Amen! Happy Easter!
Please pray for the restoration of my marriage. My husband and I have been separated for almost 5 months now – shortly after I gave birth to our first child. My husband suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD) which, when triggered, makes him swing from idealization (extreme love) to devaluation (extreme hatred). Our baby is growing up fast and I pray for her to grow up in a complete and happy family, thus I fervently pray for my husband to be healed and for our marriage to be restored soon. All these I ask in Jesus’ name.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for MVG reaching out here. Lord, first I pray that you would draw her husband to you. You are the source of our joy and strength. Help him to find the right medicines and the help to get him through BPD. Lord, I’m so sad for the pain she is experiencing after having just given birth 5 months ago. You see her broken heart. Draw her husband’s heart to you and back to a faithful and unconditional love. Thank you that your love for us never changes. Your love for us is not based on what we do. Your love for us is a strong tower when our lives feel like they are falling apart. Lord, restore and rebuild. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Please pray for me that I may be able to find sufficient funds to buy a house for me and my family in a safe area. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing Emily. Dear Father, you know our needs. Father I pray that Emily would be able to make sufficient funds to buy her family a home in a safe area. Open opportunities, Bring people along the way to help her. When anxiety over her situation floods her thoughts, show her that you love her and give her hope. Comfort her with the truth found in your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Please pray for my son and grandchildren as he goes through a nasty divorce. Praying for truth and justice. Thank you
Thank you for sharing. Heavenly Father, you see the pain and sorrow from the divorce. Lord, will you give a hedge of protection around her son and grandchildren? Walk with them through this. Be their strenth. Their peace and their comfort. Jesus, allow truth to be revealed and justice to prevail. You will not forget us. You do not leave us alone. When pain comes you are right there beside us. I pray your love would surround this family and guide them through this. In Jesus’ Name. Amen