My four-year-old little girl has quite an obsession with flowers, and we frequently find her captivated by their beauty. She is even thrilled with nothing but a field of dandelions or an assortment of interesting, colored foliage. It is almost heartbreaking to her when her carefully chosen flowers begin to droop and die. I reassure her that even though the flowers here on earth will wither, someday in Heaven she will be able to pick the most gorgeous flowers that will never die.

Flowers can teach us a lot about our Heavenly Father and our relationship with Him. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus gives us a clear command. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 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? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” 

Why do you suppose God made each of the intricate and exquisite flowers that begin to bloom this time of the year? Don’t most of them become bruised by thunderstorms, trampled, plucked, and then soon discarded? I believe that our Almighty God chose to show His splendor, as well as His great love for us when He created flowers. They are little signs demonstrating His great pleasure in seeing us delight in their beauty. Even though the lilies of the field may seem insignificant to many of us, Jesus used them to communicate an important lesson.

Should we ever worry whether we will have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, or other monetary provisions? Hasn’t God promised to not only take care of the flowers of the field, but also to take care of His own children? If this is true, then why do we see so many Christians struggling financially to meet their basic needs? Why are there hungry children dying of starvation? Why would a loving God allow this to happen?

If we could learn dependency on God just like the lily, we would never question God’s direction for our lives. You don’t see the
flowers of the field or the birds of the air having their own agenda for their lives. They are content to follow God’s plan. Don’t many of the financial difficulties we face, point back to poor decisions we pridefully made without allowing God to lead us? I believe that many children are facing malnutrition due to their parents or government leaders walking away from the Lord and His Word. Although I am not advocating that if we are in God’s will, we will never face hardships, I think majority of these trials are because of our own lusts and desires. Many times we suffer the consequences of making impulsive decisions instead of wisely delaying our selfish gratification.

When we make unwise choices and step out from under the protection of being in God’s perfect will, we face a precarious future. Some Christians in today’s culture find themselves making decisions without seeking God’s direction or waiting on Him. Later, when things don’t turn out, and they face harsh consequences, they become angry and bitter at God. Does this make any sense? Why is the problem all of a sudden God’s fault?

If we learn to listen intently to the voice of our Father, we should have no need to worry about tomorrow. We will stagger and eventually fall flat on our faces when we attempt to carry a load that was never intended for us to carry. I have always found God’s grace to be sufficient when I live within the boundaries of today, rather than in the uncertainties of the future. God’s presence is unshadowed and sustainable when I live in the present instead of the future. 
Do you find yourself worrying about the future? Do you know that this is a form of unbelief since you are choosing to doubt the promises of God? When you don’t trust Him, you grasp to control things that belong only to God. Does God want you to repent of being a backseat driver while traveling on the road of life? Are your current circumstances indicative that you have been hindering Jesus as He has been attempting to drive you along your journey? When you allow Jesus to be the driver and stop shouting orders from the backseat, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.