Monday March 18

Matthew 6:19-34

Kris Olsen

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 can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

I am a worrier.  Can you relate? Last year was a particularly worrisome year.  I experienced new responsibilities in caring for my aging parents, a sooner-than-expected retirement for my husband, and a challenging job workload for an extended period.  I worried about my husband as he transitioned, this is such a big change! I worried about the people at work affected by the change they were experiencing, how will they cope? But mostly I worried about my parents as they were quickly becoming more and more vulnerable.  I also worried about myself, was I okay? How could this all be happening at once? How do I get out of this situation?

Slowly things began to improve, and I experienced a series of small miracles.  I saw my husband begin to relax and enjoy life again as he left his high stress, demanding job behind.  I benefitted too, as he picked up more home responsibilities. We completed the changes at work without a hitch and I felt proud of how we handled things.  By year end my parents were safely in a care facility and doing better. Like the birds in the trees, God did care for me, my family and work colleagues. God is good!

Questions for Reflection:

• How are you doing at not worrying and trusting in God?

• Have you ever felt abandoned by God, only to later realize God was at work all along?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Gracious God, help me to remember to ask for help with my worries and know that you are my caretaker, always making sure I will be okay. Amen.