There are teeth grinders, hair twirlers and nail biters. There are finger scratchers, cheek biters and leg shakers. Look around: when anxiety and stress go up, the funny, human habits appear.
Personally, I am a teeth grinder. I can easily tell when I have been under too much stress: my jaw is soar and my teeth hurt. Whether I am trying to make a deadline, worrying about whether-or-not I can make all of my appointments tomorrow, or simply just worrying about worrying, I can feel the tension build up in my jaw. I have begun to wonder whether this is what God has intended for me.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus invites his disciples to gaze upon creation and let their eyes rest upon the birds. These birds neither sow nor reap; they do not store up food in barns, or wonder where their next meal is going to come from. Yet, God takes care of all their needs.
As I look out my window at the birds that are slowly making their way from the warm south to the northern territories, I find myself wondering: do these birds fly around with clenched beaks worrying about every little thing in life? Yet, Jesus promises that as they are taken care of by God, in an even more abundant way, God is taking care of us all: despite the teeth grinding, the nail bighting and the leg shaking.
Perhaps the first step to living a simple life is learning how to let go. For starters, it is important to let go of the false idea that we can control everything that goes on in our life. Thinking that we can control everything is only going to give us a false sense of security. Jesus begs us not to worry about controlling our lives, because ultimately he is taking care of all that we need. What better person to care for our needs than our all loving Savior.
Perhaps this Spring as we hear the birds singing sweetly to each other, or view them soaring high above our heads, we can be reminded of just how much God loves us, and is taking care of us. And when we feel tempted to bite those nails, or shake those legs, or grind those teeth, we can catch ourselves and say a short little prayer: "God, thank you that you love me and are in control of my life."
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