25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 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?
Matthew 6:25-26
If you’ve been outside at all over the last months, you have realized how loud the birds are these days. Strip away some of our daily noisy cars and we find – beautiful bird calls! This scripture reminds us that while it’s almost impossible not to worry at times – we can’t let the noise of worry overtake our lives and drown out the work of God.
I think our mental health is a fragile thing right now. I find myself exhausted from the worries, too tired to think or make good decisions. I’ve noticed people who I know to be calm and rational most times are suddenly snappish, angry, unkind or uncaring, and sometimes that person is me! It’s not intentional – its lack of rest, lack of centering, lack of time with God.
We are in a marathon, and we can’t do our usual Northern Virginia sprint! Please go easy on yourselves right now. You are doing the best you can, and you can imagine everyone else around you is trying to do the same. Take a few minutes – maybe multiple times a day – to give thanks, to pray, to breathe, to center yourself in ways you can see and hear God at work. You are STILL beloved of God. You are still of value and worth, even if you aren’t at your finest right now.
I pray that God blesses you with rest, healing, and Sabbath wholeness!
Sarah