Tending our Gardens

“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind…your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” Luke 12:29-31

As many of you know, I am an early riser not because I want to be but because my body has always been on this internal clock. Even as a little girl and a teenager I rarely slept past 8:00 a.m. and was always excited for the day to begin. I’ve never really been much of a worrier but as the years pass anxiety seems to seep into my mind. My anxiety doesn’t involve the basic provisions of food or drink but more about the what if’s and why not’s this world threatens. Many times, when I’m trying to embrace the heart of God as a parent, I channel being a child to better understand how God sees my circumstances. When I was a young girl I never wondered if I was going to have 3 meals. Not once was I afraid that my parents would leave me. Not once did I fear that I would never be able to have water again. I felt loved, protected and provided for by my parents. The more I trusted them, the less I considered any lack that I might encounter.

I love that our passage reminds us that God knows our needs completely, but when we doubt His provision, we lack internal peace. The remedy is to seek Him and His kingdom and through our pursuit we gain access to everything that belongs to Him…peace…joy…comfort…encouragement…provision...promise. ‘Our priorities determine our peace. The by-product for placing worldly concerns over spiritual ones is worry. Knowing how easy it is to focus on worldly concerns, Jesus reassures His children with God’s promises of provision.’ Determined, Heather Dixon p. 148.

So, what we will seek today? Will we seek things from the world that we already have in Jesus? Will we run after the ‘pagan things’ instead of intentionally being still and remembering that the spiritual things should take priority over the worldly things. Every bit of needed encouragement resides between the covers of the Bible. ‘His Word settles our hearts when fear, worry, and anxiety want to take root because it reminds us of God’s priorities over ours. Realigning our priorities with God’s priorities reduces our anxieties.’ P. 150. 

We must tend to our spiritual gardens when anxiety tries to take root, choking out our peace. By removing the weeds of worry, and watering them with God's Words we allow our spiritual beauty to grow, becoming a beacon to others.