The Thing You Must Remember When You Are Overwhelmed

I can still feel the pit in my stomach. Our family had recently made the most difficult decision of our lives, and we had no idea what lay around the next corner.

Would people support us or would they ridicule us? How would we pay for the necessary expenses? Would people understand just how difficult this was for us or would they assume we had gone off the deep end?

As I sought for a good “thinking place” amidst my turmoil, I decided to lie down on a sheet on the ground outside. It was a balmy spring day, and I could feel a gentle breeze brushing over me.
With my head so close to the ground, my attention was drawn to the tiniest of flowers – flowers I couldn’t even see without being down so low.

My children were running around in the grass near me, and I watched as the flowers seemed to be crushed under their feet.

But no sooner were they crushed but they sprang right back up, no worse for the wear.

As I watched those little flowers, I thought of the song by the late Alfred B. Smith:

I was wearied, I was worried with my trouble,
And my heart by its burden was oppressed.
Now I’ve learned my Savior’s lesson on the lilies,
And I find in its teaching perfect rest.

In case you didn't catch it, that song is based on Matthew chapter 6, where the Holy Spirit through the writer tells us not to be concerned about whether we’ll have enough to eat or drink or whether we’ll have clothes to wear.

Matthew 6:24-33, KJV:
“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. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God knows what we need before we even know ourselves what we need.

As we are faithful to seek Him above all things, he will faithfully provide all that we need.

Whether we are facing difficult trials, or whether we are overwhelmed with our daily responsibilities, whether we have physical needs or emotional needs, God will provide the strength that we need.

Solomon with his riches and glory did not compare to the beauty with which God clothes the lilies of the field.

Grass and flowers which are beaten down by wind and rain and trampled underfoot are cared for directly by the hand of God – how much more will he take care of his children?

Those tiny purple flowers which go completely unnoticed under normal circumstances are important to God! He clothes them in beauty and provides the resilience for them to make a full recovery after being crushed underfoot.

Will he not care for my needs? Will he not give me comfort when I’ve been hurt? Will he not give me courage when I’m afraid? Will he not give me wisdom when I'm confused, peace when I'm frustrated, strength when I'm weak?

When I’m tempted to look around at my problems, I recall the image of the purple flowers and I remember that God is there.

He knows.

He cares.

And I can rest peacefully in Christ’s lesson on the lilies.