Matthew 6:26 - Look Nor Gather Into Barns

Step 1: Pray. Select.

I have to be honest. I woke up today feeling anxious about the future. Approaching a New Year, and with my Dad moving into my new home with my husband and stepchildren in the next month, which I have barely grown accustomed to, I felt a little confused about what would be next in 2025.

I realized it was at this moment, as fear began to seep into my morning, filling my mind with worry, rather than the warmth and security of the promises of God and the gift of a new day, I needed to get out of bed and get into the word immediately!

So here I am. Sitting in my backyard, looking at the hummingbirds dancing around the feeder hanging from a tree, I instantly remembered one of my favorite scriptures, Matthew 6:26.

Without hesitating, I dove right in!

Step 2: Write. Read. Circle

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?

After reading the scripture three times, the following words stood out:

• Look

• Nor Gather Into Barns

• Your Father Feeds

Step 3: Re-Write

Adding my name to the front and with a focus on the words that stood out, here is the sentence I came up with for today:

• Jennifer, look nor gather into barns, your Father feeds.

Step 4: Visualize

I closed my eyes and went back to the moment I awoke this morning. As soon as I opened my eyes, my mind began racing. It was as if my eyelids lifting were the dam that finally broke, allowing a wave of worry to rush in and flood me with anxiety before I even took my first breath of the day.

I worried about my next day job now that I am a stepmom and need a work-life balance. How would I find something to pay my share of the bills while I continue to explore becoming a full-time writer, which God has put on my heart. I worried about my vehicle check battery, check tires, and a few other check "this and that" lights that all decided to turn on while I was driving the other night and screamed, "You can't ignore this expense before driving to continue to organize my dad's upcoming move two hours away." I struggled with taking time off to finish my novel and start this blog, but now, with the money dwindling into my savings, this beautiful time at home was coming to an end soon. And so on and so forth.

Oh, Jennifer. How will you provide for your life ahead?

Then, a new thought broke through all the noise, shattering the fear. Look at what God has given you. I am missing the fact that God gave me a breath before all these fear-based thoughts entered the scene today. God kept me safe all night while I slept and gave me my first breath before I was even conscious to wake me up and give me the gift of a new day. He gave me a bed to rest my head, the flannel sheets that kept me warm, and the kind, handsome husband who lay next to me.

Why am I constantly running to the "barn," metaphorically my head, when the source providing for all my needs is found by stepping out of my comfort zone and looking up. This brought me to Paul and the struggled he vulnerably exposes in Romans 7:15-20: 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Then I hear, "30 days. 30 days conversating with the Holy Spirit."

My flesh doesn't want to commit to 30 days straight. With my Dad's move, family visiting for a week after New Year, and trying to figure out my next career move, I don't know if I can do this. Will I fail or let God down? I don't know.

I hear again, "30 days."

The first question comes…..so I move to Step 5.

Step 5: Ask. Seek

The main question(s) that came to mind were:

• Why thirty days?

• How do I do this?

Step 6: Hear. Write. Receive

The answers began to flood in as quickly as the negative thoughts previously did:

Why thirty days?

“I need you to come out of your comfort zone. I need you to turn away from what you know, come outside, and look up. I need you to share our conversations. Commit to me, and I will commit to you.”

I also kept hearing the Holy Spirit tug at the fact it takes a minimum of thirty days to make anything a habit.

Again, the Holy Spirit brought me back to Paul 7:17: As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I recognized without realizing I was allowing sin or my flesh to become stronger than God. I ran to my empty barn or my head when I woke up. I should have run to God first to fill my barn with the day’s nourishment or harvest.

Holy Spirit continued, “Look up - Thirty days to kill the flesh and form a new habit. Thirty days to lean on God to feed you.”

I want to be free like the birds. I want to kill what I hate - fear!

How Do I Do This?

“You must wake up and seek me. You must wake up before the distractions of the world. I will meet you. I am there. I will be with you like I was with Moses.”

“Seek the Kingdom first and you will know what to do. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Sin is driving, time to put it in the back seat.”

Step 7: Pray. Confirm

When my husband awoke, I shared my 30-day instruction so he could be my first witness. I asked Him to pray for me to have the strength to endure and conquer my flesh to get up every morning and meet with God first, no matter what. Now, I just need one more witness, which will most likely be my beloved Aunt, who is an amazing encourager.

Friends, I have no idea what will come of this. But I will continue my practice for the next thirty days and blog every step of the way. Wish me blessings!

If you used the scripture of the day and need prayer or someone to pray with you, connect Here. Remember, you are not alone!

Step 8: Share. Testify

Once I have an update, I will report how God used this experience to direct my steps in this blog.  

If you workshopped Matthew 6:26 with us using the 8-Step Prayer Practice, we would love to hear from you in the comments below about what the Holy Spirit showed or spoke to you today.

If you have a miracle or testimony to share, don't forget to Spread Hope @Miracle Miles. We want to see how God is working in your life!

Conclusion:

I have never consistently done the 8-step Prayer Practice for thirty days straight. I will blog daily for the next 30 days and look forward to bringing you along on my journey.

Don’t forget to share where the Holy Spirit took you with this scripture! I know each one of you will have an amazing story to tell.

May all your journeys ahead be blessed!