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Verse:Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:6, 7, NKJV
Be anxious for nothing —not your kids, your marriage, your job, your weight, your finances, or your friendships.
A pretty tough challenge from Paul, isn’t it? Especially in a world where anxiety, fear, and worry are on the rise. We pray about the things or people that we’re worried about but still walk away feeling anxious.
Where’s that promised, unsurpassed peace? First, Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing” in the present active tense. He wasn’t telling us, “Don’t worry, be happy.” His challenge isn’t to never be anxious but not to live in a state of anxiousness. Next, note the words Paul uses regarding how to achieve this: prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and requests. Paul was telling us to do more than just take our requests to God. He’s outlined a way to pray that will bring the peace that passes understanding. Prayer. The word prayer evokes a sense of coming before God in reverence —worship.
Begin your prayer time by just worshiping God, remembering who He is and what He has promised: He is God the Father, Ruler of the universe, and the Creator. He has a good plan, loves us with an everlasting love, and will never leave nor forsake us. Supplication. Supplication is coming to God for our own hearts.
Submitting ourselves to His will, not ours. It implies surrender and asking for His Spirit to fill us. With thanksgiving. Before we even ask, we thank. God is not expecting us to be thankful for everything but in everything.
Look for things for which you can be thankful.
He loves your kids more than you do. He promises to never leave nor forsake us. He wants more for us than we can dream or imagine.
Requests. After remembering who God is through worship, submitting your heart, and thanking Him for His promises and faithfulness, then bring your requests to God. When we pray as Paul challenged us, our perspectives will change. We will be reminded that God is bigger than the battle. He is in control.
God can handle it. He’s not surprised or caught off guard.
God can take the worst moments of our lives and turn them around, redeem them into something beautiful. And then the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts (our feelings) and our minds (our thinking) through Christ Jesus.
Tamyra Horst