God, Turn My Worry to Worshipনমুনা

God Is Watching Over You

Yesterday I refilled the bird feeder, and now it’s surrounded by a flock of sparrows. I feed these birds not because I must. No one compels me to haul home bags of sunflower seeds. I do so simply because these birds delight me.

This helps me refocus on how the God who takes care of sparrows also feels the same way about us. I go searching in Scripture for reminders of this:

He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. (Psalm 18:19 NLT)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. (Psalm 37:23 NLT)

For the Lord delights in his people. (Psalm 149:4 NLT)

As I watch these birds, I begin to understand this kind of delight in a deeper way. There is something about their innate birdness that I love. It’s nothing impressive, really. They just eat and fly, build nests in the spring, hop around the yard, and occasionally do unspeakable things to the patio furniture.

Thinking of the sparrows is both a challenge and a comfort to me on this day. It makes me want to have the courage not to try so hard; it gives me the reassurance that I don’t have to. I watch the birds. A tenderhearted God watches me. He watches you too.

I think of a scene from the gospels: A crowd gathers to hear Jesus speak, much like a modern congregation having an outdoor service. As an antidote for worry, Jesus tells the crowd to look at the birds and how God feeds them. By doing so, yes, Jesus reminds us of God’s care. But he also gives us a practical strategy to combat worry.

Be present. When we worry, we’re not in the current moment. Jesus says, “Look at the birds.” We can start by taking a deep breath and intentionally observing what’s around us.

Practice gratitude. Jesus reminds the crowd of God’s care for birds as an example of how he cares for each of us too. We can ask ourselves, “What’s one way God is taking care of me right now?” Then express our thanks.

Shift to Worship. To stop worrying, we need to fill that space with something else. That can be a prayer we repeat like, “God, I worship you because you care for me.”

Repeat, repeat, repeat. Worry is a natural part of being human—everyone worries. When we start worrying again, we can repeat the first three steps.

God is still taking good care of the birds today, and he promises to do the same for us too.

God, thank you for taking care of the birds, the people I love, and me. Help me to rest in your care and trust that doing so brings delight to you. Amen.

What does nature show you about who God is, and how does that help turn your worry to worship?