Worry

A little over a year ago I bought my mother a hibiscus plant.  They aren’t supposed to survive our outdoor winter in NC, so she kept it in a pot and brought it in when colder weather began.  My mom is really good with plants but this one was a new challenge, so she did wonder a little if it would tolerate its first year.  

It did survive but it wasn’t necessarily thriving. After being covered with blossoms through the summer of 2020, this year’s foliage was nice, but she couldn’t coax a single bud. Mom started to wonder if she had made an error during the winter care. Then just a few weeks ago there were buds and last Sunday morning, a flower! There was never a reason to worry, we just needed to be patient.

My mother did research on how to care for a hibiscus plant.  She took what she learned and cared for that plant the best way she could.  When it came to measuring the success of her efforts she had to be patient.  

“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.”  ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭CEB‬‬

There are times in life where it is very easy to worry, however, playing that “what if” game almost always does more harm than good.  Not worrying is a valuable skill that takes practice.  My mother’s line has always been, “Throw it up.”  We need to contribute our best effort and then give any concerns to God.

“Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:27, 33‬ ‭CEB‬‬

Worry is something that we all do and some are better at it than others. “Throwing it up,” is a discipline that takes practice. There are many distractions in our world that easily raise concern but we should not worry! Jesus encourages us to focus on God’s Kingdom. That hibiscus plant was thriving before the flower opened, we just couldn’t see it yet! Keep the faith!