Ever read something in the Bible or a book you’ve read multiple times and think, “why didn’t I see that before?”? This happened to me the other day and what I saw made me laugh. Every time I tell someone about it, I laugh again. I may have missed it because I’ve read another account of the same story in a different book of the Bible.
“Don’t Worry. Be Happy.” was a mantra made popular by Bobby McFerrin in 1988. Jesus taught about worry in the Sermon on the Mount as recorded by Matthew. (see chapter 6, verses 25-34). To paraphrase: don’t worry about what to eat or what to wear. Life is bigger than these things. Just look at the birds, God takes care of feeding them and you’re much more valuable. He also takes care of clothing the flowers of the field. Look at their splendor and beauty! All that worrying can’t make you taller or add more years to your life. (Truth is, too much worrying can take years off your life!)
Recently I read Luke’s account of this teaching (see chapter 12, verses 23-31). This is where I found the phrase that cracked me up. “Since you cannot do this VERY LITTLE THING, why do you worry about the rest?” VERY LITTLE THING, yeah, right! If adding an hour to my life or a cubit to my height is a “very little thing” then the things I worry about must be very, very little things in comparison. So why am I worrying about them?
God’s word offers other reminders to not worry. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he said, “Do not be anxious about anything.” Peter wrote to tell us to cast all our cares, anxieties and/or distractions on God because He cares for us.
I remember reading an article several years ago about a woman who created an SFGTD (Something For God To Do) box. She wrote her cares down, gave them to God in prayer and then put the paper in the box for God. The fun part was occasionally opening the box and going through the slips of paper to see where God had answered prayer. Those that were not yet answered can be offered to God again and returned to the box.
I think I’m going to make myself a VVLT (Very Very Little Thing) box and put my cares in there. A reminder they really are little things and God can take care of them.
Now there’s something to smile about.
The Smile Diaries 
Great post! And for me, to add a cubit to my height makes me laugh as well. Ain’t happenin’! And that is OK with me.
I like the challenge to do something tangible [VVLT box] and will see if God wants me to do that tool. In the “cares of this world”, I am learning that just because I begin to worry about them that doesn’t mean I have to pay attention to them as “things God won’t/can’t handle”. The “won’t” part is part of the orphan-life that I struggle with occasionally. Although I’ve received healing from it, sometimes the habit wants to reclaim its place. As I remember the VVLT’s of my life, I will remember that I can smile and even laugh at my attempt to kick against them – instead I can laugh at the beauty of my Father as He handles all the VVLT’s – the ones I see and the ones I don’t: that He handles without me ever knowing.