We live in an anxious world. There's the government and what they will do. Terror attacks here in the U.S. and in other countries. New super diseases popping up. The unsteady stock market. Interest rates and housing prices rising. Medical coverage is up in the air again. Then there is the job, home, cars, kids, and finances. Oh, the horror of it all. No wonder people are so anxious.
In the middle of all this anxiousness and fear, the Apostle Paul tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 NIV) The audacity of the man to tell us not to be anxious in this anxious world. How dare he?
Paul dares, because he knows the one who brings peace; peace that surpasses all understanding. In the middle of anxiousness, a peace that just doesn't make sense, because it's not natural. So how do we get this peace?
Let's look at the last part of Philippians 4:6, "by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Okay, that's great, we're to pray with thanksgiving, but where does the peace come in? Continue on to verse 7, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.…"
Ah, Ha! When we are facing circumstances that cause anxiousness, we are to bring that to God in prayers with thanksgiving and He will give us the peace that surpasses all understanding that will guard our hearts, so that fear can't remain.
So, the next time you are feeling anxious, take it to God and let Him give you peace.
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