I’m not much of an animal person, which is odd for someone who grew up with so many. My childhood was filled with dogs, cats, chickens, a duck, cockatiels, rabbits, a rat, a lamb, a guanine pig, and chameleons. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all our pets but when I moved out on my own I decided against having any pets. So when I moved into my first real home I was surprised when my sister bought me a cat for Christmas. To be clear, she was a great gift that continues to be great.

Why am I telling you this? I’m getting to the point, just bear with me a little longer. Sometimes a dog or a cat is very much afraid of thunder. I remember the first thunder storm with Sindri, my cat. The clap sounded, her ears perked up and eyes grew wide. She looked at me, looking for my reaction. When I didn’t react, she settled back down. If I wasn’t concerned, then there must not be anything to be afraid of. That’s a lot of faith, coming from a 10 pound animal.

I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. When the metaphoric storms of life hit, we often panic just like some pets. Instead of running under the nearest sofa or bed, we should be looking to God. I guarantee he won’t be wearing a look of surprise or concern. We should take our que from him and not be anxious. Jesus said,

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Faith in God turns into trust when the storms roll in. If trust is hard, then our faith is small. Don’t take this too personally, Jesus called his listeners “people of little faith” too. Jesus didn’t give up on them and he won’t give up on you either. What we need to remember is that hardships are not anything to worry about but rather a reminder to look to God and learn to see our circumstances from his perspective, then trust.