Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God

by Jonny Ardavanis

Read by the author.

Find freedom from anxiety as you lift your gaze from the problems and pressures of this world to the changeless and powerful character of your heavenly Father.

Is my cancer back? Is my job secure? Will I ever get married? Are my children safe? Our lives are often a chronicle of trouble, pain, and uncertainty--and God's children yearn for peace. Many who wrestle with anxiety and despair know that the Bible calls them to "trust God," but what does that even mean?

In Consider the Lilies, pastor, podcaster, and speaker Jonny Ardavanis shows us God's consistent response to those who are worn down by worry and badgered by He proclaims His own character. Drawing on that perspective-shifting model, Jonny offers biblical insight on how to ground our thoughts and fix our gaze on who God is.

Compassionate, biblical, and timely, Consider the Lilies

How dwelling on the character of God is the surest pathway to peaceThe root causes of anxiety and worry in the BibleWhat the Bible says about the integration of our physical and spiritual livesWhy worry grieves God's heart as our FatherConsider the Lilies is for those who long for liberation from their anxiety and fear--and desire to deeply know the God they are called and enabled to trust. If you are starved for hope and gasping for peace, consider the character of your heavenly Father, who welcomes all who are anxious, fearful, and melancholy to trust in Him.

Reflection questions are included in the PDF enhancement.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Theology, Faith, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction

Audible Audio

Published October 8, 2024

About the author

Jonny Ardavanis is the Teaching Pastor at Stonebridge Bible Church in Franklin, TN. Previously, Jonny served as the Dean of Campus Life at The Master’s University and as a Camp Director at Hume Lake Christian Camps in Central, CA.

Jonny’s passion is that people would come to know Jesus Christ and that they would love and obey His Word. Jonny is the author of “Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace In The Character of God” (October 2024, Zondervan) and is also the President and Founder of Dial In Ministries - which releases biblical resources weekly.

Jonny and his wife Caity have two precious daughters named Lily Jean and Scottie Joan.

Reviews

[Jennifer Trzeciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down best treatment of anxiety I’ve ever read. This book is thoroughly biblical with equals parts conviction and compassion and I promise you will love Jesus Christ more and be more in awe of God’s abundant provision for growth after reading this book. Highly recommend!

2nd reading—the chapter on God’s sovereignty is worth the price of the book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always challenged, convicted, encouraged, and compelled by Jonny Ardavanis’ sermons. If you haven’t ever listened to one, let me encourage you to check out his current series, Living in Babylon. Such a word for our current cultural moment! You can find Stonebridge Bible Church on YouTube or listen to Jonny’s sermons in podcast form. His Dial In podcast is also one of my favorites.

I immediately knew I would be reading Consider the Lilies shortly after publication. This book is incredible, a truth-filled balm for the weary soul. Each chapter draws us deeper into an understanding of the attributes of God. He is our Father who loves us like no one else. He knows our innermost being and is our ever present help in times of trouble. Jonny encourages us to look to God rather than dwelling on our worries. When we fix our eyes on God, seeking to know him more each day, and give of ourselves to others we can experience true contentment and joy. This is a book I’ll definitely be revisiting in the future. Highly recommend!

Favorite quotes:
“We too often hear and read Scripture but rarely chew and digest the truths found within it. As a result, we can confirm the existence of God’s power and sovereignty but be strangers to the experience those realities ought to produce in our hearts.”

“Through prayer- a courageous spine is dependent on bruised knees. You will never stand tall in biblical courage unless you kneel in pleading prayer. If we are to smash to smithereens our worries and fears, then we must hold up the shield of faith that blocks the blows of Beelzebub.”

“The most joyful people on earth are those who do not live for themselves. Service is the gift that keeps giving. Some people wonder why they are forlorn, and often (not always) it is because they have not sought someone to serve. Are you anxious? Are you despairing? Is it possible that you are waiting for someone else to serve you instead of thinking creatively and strategically about whom you can serve?”

[Michael Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on how to overcome the sins of anxiety and worry. Highly recommended!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting, encouraging and instructive, an excellent tool for any believer.

[Morgan Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Super helpful book on fighting anxiety with the character of God. This is a book I will reread for sure. It’s similar to Jerry Bridges’ book, Trusting God, which I also love.

[Ian Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this over the span of six months at the gym and driving and I bet if I went back and re-listened/read it I would probably like it even more.

This takes the sin of anxiety and worry and instead of giving self-help, the author gives you the character of God and ends with a chapter of application. A worthwhile book to read and recommend to those struggling with worry/anxiety (or any struggling sinner) to get their eyes off their sin and on a great God.

[Meagan Eigsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know me, I have likely mentioned this book in multiple of our conversations. It impacted me so much. I just think that if every Christian can grasp these truths about God, it can transform the way that we believe, trust, think, speak, act.

My timeline of reading is no indicator of how much I loved it. I was almost finished and then started over to go through with a couple of girls. Was super rich conversation!

[Kristen Rosener · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is undoubtably one of the best books I have ever read. At the beginning of the year, Matthew 6 solidified itself into my daily life and became a frequent topic of conversation throughout the year. When it comes to anxiety and worry, my default is to work harder, prayer louder and more often, and strive in my flesh to defeat my own mind. What I should be doing—and what God commands his people to do—is fix my gaze on Christ and all that he is. Jonny Ardavanis took the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6, "Consider the lilies," and wrote an incredibly convicting book exhorting us to do exactly that: To turn our eyes upon Jesus and his character and rest in his perfect love.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"Natural temperament is never an excuse for ungodly worry."

"Worry is meditation. Whatever we worry about, we fixate on. And when we fixate unduly on our fears, concerns, and cares, we fail to exercise our faith in who God is as our heavenly Father."

"When we pool our anxieties rather than channel them toward God, we live as functional atheists. We may claim to believe in God, but when our hearts are weighed down by cares and concerns to the degree that we become anxious about them, Jesus said we are living exactly as the Gentiles who didn't know God at all."

"Fashions change. Minds dim. Faces wrinkle. The most beautiful flower begins to die the moment you pluck it. This world is passing away, so Jesus asks, "Why would you live for it?" If we do live for this world, of course we will be anxious! Because everything in this world is fleeting, fragile, and unpredictable. But if we set up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal, we will live our lives with a blessed detachment from this world."

"Worry is the offspring of the mind not actively governed by faith in our Father."

"God doesn't simply want to remove your worry, he wants to replace your worry with trust. Praying "God, take away my worry!" is not the same thing as "God, help me to trust you as I feed my mind the truth of your word, meditate on your matchless character, fix my mind and set my gaze on your love, wisdom, and sovereignty, and give me a peace that can only come from you." The opposite of anxiety is not the absence thereof, but the presence of something only God can provide: perfect peace."

"Small thoughts of God and shallow levels of intimacy with him will always result in a small degree of peace and shallow levels of trust. Your stability amid the storms of life is in direct proportion to the degree that your mind is fixed on God."

"If He (God) is not sovereign, then you cannot trust him. If God is not in control, then our entire lives are out of control and we are left straining and striving to control all things ourselves, which only serves to perpetuate our anxiety and fear. Moreover, a failure to fix our gaze on the sovereignty of our Heavenly Father not only accelerates our anxiety, but it diminishes the entirety of the way we view God's character. Why? Because our Father's sovereignty is necessary for any of his other attributes to have any value or meaning to us. For example, if God is good and kind but lacks the sovereignty to extend and express his goodness and kindness, what good would his goodness be? If he is wise but lacks the sovereignty to carry out the wisdom of his will, what good would his wisdom be? If he is love, but his hands are tied and his fingers crossed because he lacks control, the value of his love would be diminished and the entirety of his character would be distorted. If God is not sovereign, he is not God."

"God's commandments are his enablings. Therefore, joy and pain and affliction is not only possible, it is a promised fruit for all who walk in the Spirit. Our Father not only offers his anxious and weary children a way out of the black pit of despair and anxiety, he offers us hope and joy in Christ Jesus."

[Natalie | themauvereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read The Anxious Generation, but I’m fairly certain I would be able to relate to the crippling anxiety that many people my age and younger are experiencing as a result of many factors but most certainly compounded by the internet and social media. My college years and much of my adult life has sadly been characterized by a default setting of worry.

Within the past few months to a year, I’ve started to feel that I’m coming out on the other side. I most certainly owe this relief to a newfound passion for God as revealed in scripture. I’ve also become grounded in a local church which has helped a ton.

This book encapsulates the real rest that is available in the gospel. It doesn’t offer platitudes. Ardavanis clearly explains the disordered thinking that causes anxiety and demonstrates the biblical basis for peace. To embrace peace from God, we must get to a place of despairing to ever find it in ourselves. I can’t stress enough how important that is.

Understanding the character of God and deeply relying on his character is the highlight takeaway in the book. We cannot expect to access God’s peace if we don’t know who he is. Ardavanis quotes Knowing God by J. I. Packer multiple times in this book. Having read Knowing God earlier this year—it was awesome seeing how important another Christian finds the concept of truly Knowing God. I especially love the way Ardavanis highlights the importance of adoption—which was an aspect of Knowing God that struck me deeply.

Everyone should read this book!

[Evan Dozer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The average teen today is growing up with more opportunities, possessions, and 'friends' than ever, and yet they are lonelier and more anxious, panicked, and despairing than any generation that has preceded them. Students are growing up in a world where they are better fed, connected, and educated than ever before, and yet they are the most medicated generation in human history."
"It's estimated that between $42 and $47 billion are spent annually on anxiety treatments and medications."

This speaks volumes to the reality of this world we find ourselves in. And what is offered is a variety of "solutions" and "quick fixes" that simply mask and suppress the real issue at hand.
The answer to this problem, I believe, is a supernatural one. Scripture testifies to the reality of anxiety because of this broken, chaotic world, but its remedy is far from simply managing our anxiety or getting through it on our own. God calls us to come to Him through Jesus Christ and see who He is - the One who is good, loving, sovereign, and never-changing. He is the One who gives His children supernatural peace despite living in this ever-changing, broken world.

It's not easy. It's not perfect. And it's not some simple fix or hack for us to live some comfortable and prosperous life. But it is the reality of this messy life and the calling of God to His people - faithful turning to the Lord throughout every season of life.

[Caroline McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both phenomenal and practical. I can’t recommend it highly enough! Do you struggle with anxiety? Other than knowing you need to trust God, perhaps you struggle to know how to practically fight something that unfortunately may seem like a normal part of your life. This book offers a deeply biblical solution rooted in meditating on the character of God. It sounds simplistic, but it’s packed with truth and practical steps to take in light of God’s character, and I’ve already found it so helpful for my own life. This is one I expect I’ll read again and again.

[Billy Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. This book was a really helpful read and gives really valuable biblical insight to anxiety. As one who is especially prone to anxiety and worry, this pointed me to the great character of our Sovereign God.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

so incredible. I have no words!! highly highly recommend.

[Heather Upson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the most helpful and biblically rooted resource I’ve read concerning anxiety.

[Colleen S · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to give this 2 stars because this book was filled with so much truth about God and his word. I heard the author on a podcast saying that God responds to anxious people in the Bible by showing them or telling them who he is (Moses, Elijah, Sermon on the Mount, etc.) I thought that was a fantastic take and would make an incredibly helpful book for people struggling with anxiety. However, that isn’t exactly what this book was. It was instead a book about all kinds of topics (heaven, prayer, brotherly love, sorrows, etc.) A sort of primer on various aspects of the Christian Faith. Really basic stuff that would be excellent to put in the hands of a new believer or teen, but not really a book about anxiety. Overall, this book would be greatly helped with a kind, editorial scalpel taken to it and perhaps made into more than one book.

[Bryce Bitting · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book I have ever read. This is my second time reading through it and it is filled with scripture and spiritual truths that have given me beautiful and holy things the meditate on.

God knows we are an anxious people, this stems from our narrow focus on this perishable world. God gives an antidote for our worried minds and hearts, it's to examine and rest in his matchless and transcendent character.

This book helps display who God has revealed himself to be in scripture. It has given me a renewed desire to see God's character in scripture and in my day to day life. Must read.

[Nikki Akerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words to describe the beauty of this book. I have a feeling this book will be read many times for years to come. If you struggle with anxiety you need to read this. If I only I knew these truths when I was a kid. I know His plans are best and I can help others.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading. Won’t be the last. So good!

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this book with three men who struggle with anxiety. It was good book based on the strategies of biblical counseling. Very good.

[Abby | Life Giving Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily the best book I have read on anxiety. Too often, books on this topic focus primarily on managing symptoms of anxiety without addressing the root cause. Jonny Ardavanis takes a different and much more lasting and hopeful approach. He does not dismiss the reality of the physical manifestations of anxiety or the value of practical tools in managing such symptoms (I can personally attest to how helpful something such as deep breathing can be in calming the nervous system during moments of high anxiety). But he offers us something better to find lasting peace: knowing and truly resting in the character of God. He calls us to "consider the lilies," just as our Savior Jesus did (Matthew 6:28), that we would "more fully understand the power, care, and provision of God."

"In a world desperate for hope, the Bible provides the remedy our hearts are searching for: God's unchanging and matchless character is the antidote our worried and anxious hearts need the most."

Equal parts theologically rich and deeply encouraging, this book walks through different aspects of God's character as the ultimate remedy for anxiety. Rather than leaving it at trite phrases such as, "just trust God!" or "God is sovereign so don't worry," which to the sufferer can feel frustrating and hollow, Ardavanis thoughtfully answers the questions behind them: Why should I trust God? How does God's sovereignty actually bring me true peace?

"...He is not a distant God. He is a sympathetic high priest (Hebrews 4:15). He feels what we feel. He knows what we are going through. He loves and cares for us. He Himself was a 'man of sorrows and acquainted with grief' (Isaiah 53:3). He is sovereign, but His sovereignty is always anchored in His love and care."

I look forward to recommending this book to any friends who struggle with anxiety. If you are in Christ, this will encourage your heart and strengthen your faith!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! One of the best Christian books I’ve read in a while. It’s convicting as well and encouraging.

Jonny asks the reader if they can say this with an honest heart: “If I never receive another blessing outside of what I have already received in Christ, I would still have overwhelming reasons to rejoice.” This made me stop and think. The obvious answer is yes, but the sinful, selfish answer is no! I’m so thankful for his honesty and getting into the nitty gritty.

“Joy isn't the absence of sadness—it's the presence of God's Holy Spirit in our lives. Joy is more about our perspective than it is our circumstances.”

5/5: I would recommend this to anyone, not only those who suffer with anxiety. Worrying about our future is not the same as being anxious. Any sort of worry or fear should lead us to question: am I trusting the Lord with this?

[Dave Weathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The command in Philippians 4:6 to not be anxious is too often heard as telling you to calm down while your house is on fire. Worse, it often launches the anxiety cycle: not only am I anxious about the original thing, but now I’m anxious about being disobedient for feeling anxious in the first place.

Ardavanis refuses to defuse this tension by softening Scripture’s command. Instead, he argues that when God commands His people not to be anxious, He also provides the means by which such obedience is possible: not by robotic emotional restraint or the latest therapeutic fads, but by directing believers to the character of the God who commands it and the ordinary means of grace He provides. Through these means, trust is slowly formed and the command to not be anxious is revealed not as a cruel demand, but as an invitation grounded in who God is.

[Landrie Elstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of the best & most impactful books I’ve ever read. Especially a book about anxiety. Tbh it’s often hard for me to get through Christian books quickly because there isn’t a plot like other books, but wow. I wanted to soak up all this info as quickly as I could because it was SO good. I’m so excited to start back up on chapter 1 next week w/ my Bible Study!

The way Jonny talks about anxiety & provides biblically sound & provoking thoughts/scripture to combat the anxiety we face daily & instead turn to the Lord in practical ways, will quite honestly change the way I go about life. He brings scripture in perfectly & I can tell this book was so guided by Holy Spirit!! So thankful this book was written, I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone I know!!

[Dakotah Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book for any believer to read, especially in times of trial. A nice overview of the character of God and how dwelling on His attributes gives us peace, even when life is difficult. I appreciated how He explained Scripture and how convicting the middle portion of the book was.

[Amy Minard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Will definitely read again!

[Jessie Gal-Chis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I let myself go highlighter-crazy, I would have highlighted 90 percent of this book.
This book really helped me through current anxieties & uncertainties in my personal life.

[Noah Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It really puts your focus back onto God and not yourself. It doesn’t downplay the anxiety but Pastor Jonny pushes you past it to really look at the Lord through it all. Chapter 10 was my favorite of the book, specifically focusing on God’s love. If you’re struggling with anything that is giving you anxiety, doubt, fear, this book reminds you of who God is.

[Elizabeth McMahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️ A beautiful book about the character of God for anxious and worried sinners. As the author writes, “Gazing at God’s glorious character is the pathway to peace.” By considering the lilies, we reflect on our God and rejoice in who He is. What a comfort!

[Sydney Hogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When we look at our circumstances, our happiness will inevitably wane, but when we fix our gaze on God, He gives us both peace and indescribable joy.”

An amazing book on anxiety. The entire book points us back to God, the gospel, and scripture to show us the peace we have in Jesus. Sooo good.

Read this for book club and answered the questions after each chapter, but would also recommend as an individual read/study.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is GOOD