Can Flowers Fuel Your Faith?
Thanks to record-breaking rainfall last summer, the fields I walked past in my neighborhood had flourished green and were filled with more colorful wildflowers than usual. The ones that captivated me most were the vibrant yellow sunflowers, which had grown impressively tall and weren’t typically abundant here.
Captivated by the scene, I stopped to take photos and document their dramatic growth. As the sunflowers swayed gracefully in rhythm with the cooling breeze, I recalled what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount about considering the lilies of the field, which testify to God’s provision of soil, water, seeds, and sunshine for these beauties to grow without man’s intervention. As He pointed out, these vibrant flowers delight for a season but soon dry out with the grass that fuels the ovens. And yet the Father cares enough to adorn the fields with their regal beauty, despite their fleeting appearance.
I imagined that if Jesus had been standing on a Colorado mountainside that day, He would have pointed to these prominent, populous sunflowers to prove His point. The Greek word krinon, translated as “lilies” in most Bible versions, was used to describe field wildflowers of rich color. These sunflowers certainly fit that description!
However, my thoughts quickly shifted to the question Jesus posed next: “...if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30). Although most commentaries agree that Jesus was reasoning with the crowd, not scolding them for lack of faith, I felt called out to examine whether I was truly trusting God to sustain me in that moment.
You see, I was battling chronic physical anxiety symptoms that returned after I’d been medication-free for more than a year. I worried about things I’d normally take for granted, like being able to breathe deeply enough to settle my racing heartbeat and stand in front of a roomful of students without sweating, trembling, and stumbling over my words.
Although I wasn’t concerned about essential provisions like clothes and food, I was desperate to restore stability to my nervous system without medication, as if I needed to prove that my faith was strong enough to free myself from anxiety’s grip once again.
Friend, have you been told you should have enough faith to cancel out the anxieties that overwhelm you? Or that your mental health struggles would subside if your faith were strong enough? Whether outside criticism or the relentless lies of the enemy are causing you to question the durability of your faith, I can assure you that Jesus isn’t pointing a finger. He’s inviting you to trust Him because He cares about providing what you need with precise detail.
When we consider the “lilies” of the field, their radiant beauty reminds us that we can trust a loving, compassionate Heavenly Father to provide what we need amid our struggles. Your circumstances may not be resolved in the way you’d hoped, but God has promised to sustain you by providing what you need to persevere. And He will never leave your side.
As Jesus pointed out in Matthew 6:26, “Are you not of more value than they?” I think you know the answer to that question.
I resumed my walk, savoring every breath of crisp Colorado air with renewed gratitude. Just as these bright sunflowers stood tall in the middle of a wild, unkempt field, I was still walking, breathing, and able to praise God for His daily provisions that kept me moving forward despite a very difficult year.
May the flowers in your fields remind you that you are more valuable to your Heavenly Father than these carefree creations. Allow Jesus to carry your burdens, restore peace to your soul, and sustain you with His presence.
Questions for Reflection:
- Have you been trying to prove to God that your faith is “strong enough” to handle your current struggles? If so, listen to Jesus assure you of your Heavenly Father’s desire to provide what you need as you read this passage with your name replacing “you.”
- Have you wondered if ongoing physical or mental illness is the result of “little faith”? What do you think Jesus would say about it?
