Resting in His Care

Recently, as I was waiting for a tire rotation I read a nature magazine featuring hummingbirds. This took place on a day that I was feeling particularly anxious about life and providences. The pictures were beautiful. There are several varieties of hummingbirds. They are arrayed with beautiful colors and masterfully formed by our Creator. Although the birds are small and look delicate, they have powerful wings which can rotate allowing the birds to fly backwards, sideways, and straight up. I was fascinated to learn more about God’s creation and as I looked upon the birds, I thought about God’s sovereignty and care. God created all things and cares for all things providentially. All mankind experiences God’s common grace (Matthew 5:45) God offers saving grace to those who will come to him and trust in his Son. On the cross, Jesus provided for our greatest need, bearing God’s wrath for our sins so that we can have peace with God and eternal life in him.

Reading the magazine feature led to my thinking of two passages:

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork

Matthew 6: 26-27 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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Anxiety

When I speak of anxiety, I am not addressing anxiety disorders which may be related to chemical imbalances in the body, PTSD, or other medical conditions. In those with anxiety disorders, the body has a physiological response which often comes out of nowhere. In situations like this, the mind might be saying trust God and pushing out anxious thoughts but the body is still having an anxious response. Having an anxiety response in the body doesn't always indicate a lack of trust in God.

However, it is sinful to worry. Those that struggle with anxiety disorders and those that do not can have a common temptation to worry. Believers are to cast their cares on the Lord and are not to worry but trust him in all things. God gives us the power to overcome anxious thoughts through his Spirit. The following points address some of the anxieties believers can have.

Fear of God’s Wrath

For those that are coming to Christ, this fear comes from a healthy understanding of who we are before God. We deserve his wrath. When we realize this, we see ourselves as we are. Johnathan Edwards preached on God’s wrath toward unrepentant sinners in his famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

We do not have to cower in fear. God offers peace and justification for our sins through grace by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is just in his wrath towards sinners and he is just in his offer of forgiveness for sins. Jesus Christ died for our sins bearing the wrath due us and rose again conquering death. In him we have eternal life and are freed from the bonds of sin. He wants us to trust in him as little children (Matthew 18:3.)

Believers are to fear God in the sense of a holy reverence and awe born out of love but are not to be driven by terrors of wrath. (1 John 4:18, Romans 8:15) When we trust in Christ alone for salvation, nothing we have done or will do can separate us from the love of God.

The bird magazine article also reminded me of my Grandma.  She loved birds. She had a collection of bird figurines and she enjoyed watching birds in her front yard. We shared the same birthday. This year was my first birthday without her.  Birthdays eventually come to an end here on earth but for those that trust in Jesus, life never ends.  At my Grandma’s funeral, there were memorial cards with John 11:25 printed on them “ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” My Grandma professed faith in Christ as her Lord and Savior. Although friends and family mourned her loss, we could rejoice in the hope that she is with the Lord. Our pilgrimage on earth will be short. Each year marks another year closer to ending our earthly race- another year closer to being in the presence of God in a place where we will no longer sin.   

Following God’s Commandments/ Fulfilling the Great Commission

Sometimes in group situations, the group defines its own laws outside of God’s revealed will and believers are faced with the choice of obeying God or going along with the group which is disobeying God in some way. It can be difficult to be the only person in a crowd that does the right thing. It can feel like being a single fish swimming against the current which all the other fish are swimming along with, a current that leads to dangerous waters. When we allow ourselves to swim with the current in situations like this we are acting in fear of man rather than fearing the Lord and trusting his provision even in circumstances that may lead to persecution. Once when I swam with the current I realized how foolish it was. I swam that way because it was me against the other fish and I thought I’d lose the fight. I realized how foolish that was because I have God on my side.

In a scenario of persecution arising from swimming against the current, it may look like we lost the fight in the eyes of men. But in such a scenario, the believer won the fight by grace and the power of God at work in them.

The same concept applies to personal evangelism. It can be terrifying to tell people of the Lord, knowing that doing so we could reap hostility. It is hard to accept rejection but it is part of the believer’s life. Christ was rejected and we are to expect the same (John 15:18.)  Rather than regarding our earthly life, we need to remember our life is hidden in Christ. We need to remember that the most loving thing we can do is share the Good News with others.  

We are commanded to love God and our neighbors. Those that love God obey him. The temptation to swim with the current can be very strong in me at times. I pray for more love as I fight against the sin of fearing man.

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” Matthew 10:39

Worrying About What Ifs and Providential Difficulties

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things Philippians 4:4-8

The above passage stood out to me. I can waste a lot of time imagining what if scenarios. It is good to consider consequences of our actions in making decisions. For example, taking a job we really want with low pay versus a high paying job that doesn’t suit our interests. We would have to look at our budgetary needs and weigh the pros and cons of each job option. That said, imagining what if scenarios can cause a great deal of unnecessary anxiety. In Matthew 6:34, the Lord tells us: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

When I imagine what ifs, I am not thinking on what is true. I am often imagining worst case scenerio horrors that I feel I cannot bear.  Instead, I should think on what is true: when trials come, God will provide. I should study and meditate on Scripture so that when trials do come I have a better handle on them by applying God’s wisdom and truth that he teaches me in his word.

Another what if scenario is imagining our plans to work out just as we want them too and imagining how such providences would look.  We should not put hope in a scenario we dream up that we think would make our life better.  Our anxieties should rather be alleviated in knowing that God’s will for our life is the best thing for us and the providences in our lives are perfectly designed for our good although at times the providences may be very difficult. We must always remember the petition, "thy will be done" when coming before the Lord in prayer. 

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

When we are in the midst of a trial, it can be difficult to trust that our needs are being met. Yet when situations looks daunting to our eyes we can trust that nothing is beyond his care and purpose. In the midst of trials, he provides relief. We must spend time reading his word and crying out to him. Many of the Psalms illustrate prayer in the midst of trials. Trials show us our weakness and push us into his strength.

Godly Concerns

This last point covers two good concerns of a believer, (assuming these concerns are born out of love rather than fear.)

Progress in Sanctification: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13. The fear and trembling in this passage does not refer to a slavish fear of God. Grace abounds in the life of the believer. God brings believers to repentance and enables them to overcome their sins. Believers can have seasons of sin struggles, even heinous sins (for example David) In fact every day is a struggle against sin. But believers do not follow a lifestyle of habitual sin. Believers follow Christ. Believers love God and want to obey him; knowing that sins are grievous to him and that he is glorified as we grow in sanctification becoming more like Christ. Believer’s trust in God’s power overcome sins. Believers long for the day that all sin is eradicated and faith becomes sight. Sluggishness in pursuing sanctification can be a temptation to believers. We know God’s grace abounds and trust that we will complete the course. May we pray to love him. May we pray to love him more.

Concern for the well-being of others:  Petitioning the Lord in prayer for others, particularly concerning the well-being of their souls. Shedding light in a dark world by witnessing and living a life that demonstrates love toward God and neighbors.  Being a godly example to our brothers and sisters in the faith.