Added Unto You

I have recently realized something about myself, although I’ve been mentally gathering evidence regarding this over the years. I do my best work when I’m not under pressure. Give me a good nights’ sleep, a nice breakfast, some relaxed quiet time with the Lord, and no pressure, and I’ll tear into my to-do list and accomplish enough to make your head spin. My creative energies, concentration, and even the courage to do disliked tasks are all increased by that lifestyle. My performance deteriorates in direct proportion to the amount of pressure I am feeling at any given time.

But there is a problem. The way that I work best is not acceptable in our society. My life is supposed to be guided and directed by the pressure of expectations—from others and from myself. I’m supposed to keep up with the Joneses, or at least make an attempt. I’m supposed to rush anytime anyone else is in a hurry. I’m supposed to cater to every demand placed on my time. That’s the way the world works, you know. If I’m not tired and stressed out, I must be lazy.

Beside that, living like that is how you become successful. If you want to have more than just barely enough, you have to expect to put in sixty hours a week or a whole lot more. Don’t expect to ever have anything nice if you don’t live that way.

Jesus gives two mind-blowing examples of why we shouldn’t let our lives be in any way controlled by anxiety about provision. Take a look at the birds. They don’t sow, they don’t reap, and they don’t store up in barns. But God makes sure they have enough to eat, anyway. This doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to sow, reap, or store up, but he’s making a point.

When your driving thought is, "I have to keep on with this high-stress lifestyle, because it’s the only way I’ll ever have enough," remember that God takes care of little creatures who don’t really work at all. We have to choose if we’ll trust in our Heavenly Father’s loving provision, or if we won’t.

He throws in a line about the lilies, too. They don’t lift a finger to spin or sew, yet they are clothed better than Solomon (who was the wealthiest king in Israel’s history) was ever clothed. If you have questions about the truth of this, go outside and take a very close look at any flower you can find. A real close look. It’s true. You could never make clothes for yourself that are nearly as exquisite as the clothes a flower wears … and yet that flower will be dead and gone in a day or two.

So will I put God and His kingdom first, by living in the way I know He has designed me to live? Or will I be conformed to the world’s standards?

I think I’ll just let God add all these things unto me.

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