The Most Recent "Christian Soul Care Devotional"

Don't Worry: Live Like the Birds

William Gaultiere, Ph.D.

I think that most people spend a lot of time stressing over their problems and strategizing how to solve them.  Maybe you’d expect a psychologist like me to say that!

But you wouldn’t expect a psychologist to say this: The most powerful antidote to anxiety is learning how to be in silence and solitude with Jesus, as he was with his Father.

Blaise Pascal, the great French mathematician, scientist, and Christian theologian of the 17^th Century, said the same thing, but far more poignantly: “All the unhappiness of people arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own room” (Pensées).

Learning how to be quiet and alone with the Lord is connected to learning how to grow in authentic, loving relationships with people.  Solitude and community – you can’t do one well without the other.  And you can’t live in peace or live well without both.

Have you heard about the conversation between the Robin and the Sparrow?  

Listen in and it just might change how you live your life – as it is doing for me…

“Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
‘I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.’
 
Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
‘Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me’”
(Elizabeth Cheney, Streams in the Desert, October 10).

This bit of poetic rhyme reminds me of Jesus’ words: “Don’t worry.  Look at the birds… Your Heavenly Father cares for them.  Aren’t you much more valuable than them?” (Matthew 6:25-26, PAR).

And it inspired me to sit down and do some bird watching while I prayed today as I was alone with Jesus in the quiet for a few hours.  As I watched and listened to what was going on above my head Jesus spoke to my heart. 

Don’t misunderstand me.  The Lord’s voice didn’t come to me like lightening filling the sky.  And I didn’t see an angel.  At first many things distracted me: lawnmowers and grass blowers, a cold wind blowing, my own concerns and worries.  But I kept looking at the birds in the heavens (the lowest level of the kingdom of the heavens is the air right around us) and I kept listening. 

Here’s what I heard Jesus whisper to me:

Don't Worry: Live Like the Birds
Don’t worry: Live like the birds;
Trust my Father as they do,
Feeding each day from his hand.

Don’t worry: Learn from the birds;
Listen to my Word as they do,
Sitting quietly and alone on a Branch.

Don’t worry: Look at the birds;
Fly with my Spirit as they do,
Responding to the currents of my Breath.

Don’t worry: Listen to the birds;
Sing with my angels as they do,
Harmonizing with the choruses of heaven.

Don’t worry: Love like the birds;
Gather with my friends as they do,
Traveling in formation as my flock.

If it’s hard for you to be still and to enter into soul rest then I urge you to find out why.  What is causing you to be anxious?  Why do you stay busy?  What is all the noise and activity in your life helping you to avoid?  Where is the love, joy, and peace that you long for?  And that others need from you?

Lie down in Good Shepherd’s green pastures and you’ll discover the truth of what David learned: “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:1-2).  Probably, David learned to rest in God’s love from the prophet Samuel.  Do you have a Samuel in your life?  I couldn’t imagine trying to live my life without someone like Samuel.

We have a variety of seminars on CD to help you to overcome your personal struggles and grow closer to Christ.  You can order these on our website – safely and easily: http://www.christiansoulcare.com/booksandcds.htm.

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Here’s the archive of past Christian Soul Care Devotionals: http://www.ymlp.com/pubarchive.php?drbill.

Blessings,

Bill & Kristi