The Sin of Worry

Trusting God Like the Birds Do

by Sarah L. Bryant

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought
can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” 
-From Matthew Chapter Six

My Dear Sisters,


Do you worry? What do you worry about? Why do you worry? Have you ever thought of worry as a sin against the Lord, your Maker?


Let’s consider this passage, where Jesus speaks of His Father’s care and provision for every bird of the air. This is amazing to ponder, for there are about 100 billion birds alive in the world today. God gives them life and also provides for their every meal. And have you ever noticed how often a bird eats? They eat constantly—probably one hundred meals a day. They do not plan where they will harvest their next meal, nor do they store food for the next day. Have you ever spotted a refrigerator in a bird’s nest?! Birds simply do not worry about their next meal; they know that their Creator can provide for them. If you do the math, you will discover that our magnificent God serves about ten trillion bird meals on a daily basis. That is a lot of meals over the course of a year to plan out!
Matthew 10:29-30 comments, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”


Our Savior and Lord continually amazes and humbles me! Not only does He care about feeding every bird in the air—but He also cares about the very minutest things about me and my life. He cares about me—just one human living in one of the galaxies He created! My God never misses anything that is going on in my heart or life. He knows every last corner of my thoughts and has a plan for my future. “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5).


My God is not an absent-minded Father. For example, do you know those times when you are concentrating really hard on something, and then you look up to realize that the phone was ringing, a sibling was talking to you, and you let dinner burn all at the same time?! I know I do this often. However, our God never lets anything get out of control for one millisecond. If He did, this world would vanish, for He is its only sustaining hand (Colossians 1:16). The Lord is more aware of what is going on in our lives than we even are ourselves. That is pretty amazing (and comforting!) to think about. “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2).

This brings us to the question—why do we ever worry? Why are we ever anxious? Jesus has told us, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:27) We have a tendency to worry about the thousands of things that could happen to us tomorrow. We worry about the troubles that could befall us or the things we “need,” but does one minute of worry ever change or help anything? Do we ever wake up one morning and think, “I’m so glad I worried all day yesterday about today’s problems! That will help me so much today!”


Someone once told me to imagine this scenario—a little girl worrying constantly about whether her dad will provide breakfast the next morning. Her loving and faithful dad has always provided every meal for her, yet she sits on the couch and frets. She doesn’t get up to wash the dishes, wash the laundry, or her schoolwork—she just worries about tomorrow! This sounds funny, because of course we know this girl has no reason to be worrying—yet in a much similar way, don’t we find ourselves worrying unnecessarily about tomorrow, while neglecting our duties today? I was humbled as I realized my own sin in often doing this very thing.


Our Lord and Master has promised us, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). God’s promises stand true throughout eternity. There is never any reason for us as believers to ever worry or wonder if God can/will provide for us. How old are you? Has God ever neglected to provide a meal or true need in the past years of your life? I can say that my God has provided for the past twenty-one years of my life perfectly. Never has He forgotten anything that I truly needed! Why do I ever worry then about whether He will provide in the future? And if He does withhold something from me, isn’t it because He truly loves me and has something better in store? Because He wants to sanctify me and work all things together for good? I am so grateful for my heavenly Father that cares for the very numbers of hair on our heads, and cares about working through us His perfect will. Dear sister, isn’t it incredible to think about how the God of the universe provides for us—His wee little daughters?!

To doubt and worry is essentially to tell the Lord that we do not believe He is able to do us good. After all He has done on our behalf—we still doubt Him?! What sin! Our God has not only provided us with life and breath, but He has also covered us in the blood of His own Son. If our God chose to give us the most costly clothing ever imagined—His own Son’s blood of righteousness! (Isaiah 61:10)—can’t He provide for our earthly needs? Doesn’t He have the funds and all the world besides (Psalm 50:10)? It is sin for us to doubt the Lord when He has given us so many eternal blessings (Psalm 103).


Let us be obedient to God’s Word, which commands us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” For, “His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him” (2 Samuel 22:31). May we be obedient, faithful stewards of the gifts God has given us today, while trusting Him to provide for tomorrow’s needs far above what we ever asked or thought. Let us seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—today.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
(Isaiah 61:10)

Humbled by His Incredible Goodness,
Sarah Lee Bryant
{Editor of The King’s Blooming Rose Magazine}

Praising the Lord

I wanted to share a beYOUtiful post found on the KBR website. I use this site a lot with my girls.

Enjoy!!

October marks the month that we begin reading Ann Voskamp's book - One Thousand Gifts. This year I believe we will practice the 365 days of thanksgiving.

by Beth Thompson

“Give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His Name;
make known His Deeds among the people.”
{Psalm 105:1}

One of my dear friends and I were once discussing our plans for the Thanksgiving holiday, and she remarked that, instead of only having one day set aside for giving thanks, we ought to celebrate 364 days of thanksgiving, and only one day of complaining every year. A thankful spirit is so important to the Lord! Over and over again, in GOD’s Word, the anthem rings true and clear:

“O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good,
because His mercy endures forever.”
{Psalm 118:1}

“I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation;
I will praise Thee among the people.”
{Psalm 35:18}

Give thanks – why is it of such importance?

The LORD has commanded us to give thanks in all that we do. Paul exhorts the Colossians, “and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto GOD, and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Is obedience only the outward, the flesh routinely doing the good works or is it more than that? The LORD cares greatly about the attitude with which we are serving Him. Are we serving our Master grudgingly or with thankful hearts, praising GOD for all that He has done? Numbering the gifts, and offering praise to our LORD is an act of obedience.

“Because thou servedst not the LORD thy GOD with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things….”
{Deuteronomy 28:47-48a}

More than just a commandment, thanksgiving is a open door for us to bless the heart of GOD, for He delights in the praises of His people. We all know the warm and wonderful feeling of being wholeheartedly thanked for a gift we have given or a service we have performed. Our LORD has given us innumerable gifts; how can we not turn to Him with full and grateful hearts and give Him praise? It is a custom among the Jewish people to say one hundred blessings every day! What if we stepped out of the busy whirlwind of life, noticed the gifts, and gave thanks to GOD one hundred times each day? This is an amazing opportunity; that we can minister to the King of the Universe!

Thanksgiving is one of the ways that we can dwell in the Presence of the LORD throughout the day. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:2). We give thanks for all those little things in life, and we acknowledge Him as the giver of all. Life becomes holy when we live it always seeking to see the gifts, searching for opportunities to bless our Heavenly Father. Through thanksgiving, we are choosing to see GOD’s Hand in our everyday life. The excited, upturned face of a child, the crunch of crimson and gold leaves under feet, the breaths we take each moment; all of these are windows to see the LORD. This is His Handiwork, His Creation. When we notice these things with thankful hearts, we are choosing to see Him.

When we are dwelling in the Presence of the LORD through giving of thanks, joy is ushered in. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy Right Hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Yet, how do we keep the flame of praise burning constantly, when papers must be finished for school, chores must be performed, and the house must be cleaned? Life doesn’t stop for us to catch up with it, and sometimes the whirlwind feels overwhelming. Life may not wait for us, but we can choose to pause in the middle of our day, breathe, and offer thanks. LORD, thank You, for schoolbooks, and the freedom to learn. Thank You for sisters to read stories to. Thank You for Your love always with us, even in the busyness.

Several years ago, in reading Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, I was challenged to journal one thousand blessings that I already had. I found it helpful to actually write the thanksgivings down, for it solidifies them. The beauty of this is that we do not need to stop at one thousand, for the gifts do not end then, praise GOD! The thanksgiving, then, moves beyond the form of a list, and is voiced from the lips of the grateful worshiper.

Sometimes the praise flows onto the page, and sometimes the list is made doggedly, mechanically, on the days where discouragement is rampant and irritations rub hard. Give thanks we must, regardless of the feelings. As we obey the LORD and give thanks even when we do not feel like it, He softens our hearts hardened with complaints, and the feelings of gratefulness will come. Diligence is essential to keep the thanksgiving fire burning. “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:17). Thanksgiving is a choice, just like every other spiritual fruit. It is a choice to give thanks, to live seeing the grace moments, and the beauty in the midst of the ashes, and choice to live the joy. Emotions may come or they may not. “My heart is fixed, O GOD, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise” (Psalm 57:7). It is the fixing, the choice to give thanks, that truly matters.

We must make the decision to thank the LORD in everything, not just for what seems sweet and beautiful, but also for the things that do not. Will we accept only that which feels good from the Hand of our LORD, and protest to that which hurts? GOD knows what is best for each of us, and we can thank Him for He is always Good. He sees where each path leads, and, it is because of this that we can trust. Thank You, LORD, that you are in control of all things.

Even when we sin, and fall short again and again, instead of slipping into discouragement, we can give thanks to the One Who Helps me up. “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25a). He is the one that delivers us from sin.

Choose with me this day, dear sisters, to offer up to GOD a sacrifice of thanksgiving, a blessing to our Loving Father, Who has given us so much. May His Great Name be exalted!

“By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
{Hebrews 13:15}

Beth Thompson