May Flowers Bring God’s Faithfulness

by April Engstrom

“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin…But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!” (Luke 12:25-28, ESV).

One of my favorite things about spring is the flowers. The roads, once surrounded by dead branches and brown leaves, are slowly crowned by fresh blossoms of life. My personal favorites are the daffodils, dogwoods, and redbuds, as they are the first indicators that spring is officially here.

I wrote previously about how we can be called out of our winter. How sometimes it takes the roar of a lion, but we need to look to spring and the new growth God has for us. Now, I want to address the anxiety that comes with new life and new growth.

Anxiety. A word that plagues so many people, both believers and non-believers alike. I remember when I was first diagnosed with anxiety, it literally felt like my world was closing in. One of the worst things to tell an anxious person is that they have anxiety. I have struggled, prayed for forgiveness, and full-on battled with God over the verse above. Why God, why when you promise a way without anxiety does it continue to be such a deep struggle?

Faith. Jesus lays it on pretty hard, “O you of little faith!” I know each year I can count on one thing time will pass, seasons will come and go. Often in the chaos of getting ready for school in the morning, I have to remind my 6-yearold son that we cannot get wasted time back. If he chooses to spend his time not getting ready, then I cannot give him more time. Time will pass, we cannot change that. We can anticipate what will happen in the future, school will end and Mom will no longer have to drag him out of bed, but that doesn’t change the truth of today. God has given us the gift of today. He has a plan for your today and a calling for your life. He wants you to know Him intimately so that He can get the most out of your todays. I think that’s why He’s so harsh in His admonishment of our wasting time. He who is outside of time knows just how fleeting our time on this earth is. He knows how much He needs all of our todays, and that’s why it hurts Him when we worry about tomorrow. He is calling you to a life of faith, full dependency on Him and His truth in your life.

By the time you read this, the daffodils will have withered away for another season, the dogwoods will have lost their blooms, and the colorful redbuds will have turned green. Seasons change, time comes and goes, yet God continues to provide. This is the truth that you can cling to no matter what the season of life you are in brings you. Even though the lilies and the grass die, God still provided for them in their time, and He will provide for you too. Trust Him with your today and lay your anxiety down at His feet.

About The Author April Engstrom resides in Bradley County with her husband and two boys. She loves her family at the Church at Grace Point and exploring God’s creation. You can follow April’s blog at everlasting-evergreen.weebly.com.