DO NOT BE ANXIOUS

I cannot see the answer,

And I struggle, Lord, to trust.

But if I desire to have your peace,

You tell me that I must

Bring everything to you

By petition and by prayer.

Then by an act of faith,

Give thanks and leave it there.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, with transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

mĕrimnaō³³⁰⁹ – to be anxious about: - (be, have) care (-ful), take thought.

ĕucharistia²¹⁶⁹ – gratitude; act. grateful language (to God, as an act of worship): - thankfulness, (giving of) thanks (-giving).

phrŏurĕō⁵⁴³² – to be a watcher in advance, i.e. to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); fig. to hem in, protect: - keep (with a garrison).

            God’s peace will be mounted as a sentinel around my heart and mind in the midst of situations in which most people would consider it quite normal to be anxious. What is the condition for having that calm, protected feeling? When I begin to worry about something, I must take it to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving.

            In other words, I must ask in faith (James 1:6). I need to be able to worship God with gratitude even before the answer to my prayer is visible. I love the definition of faith from Hebrews 11:1 as found in the Amplified Version:

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality – faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.”

When I begin to feel anxiety, I need to take the problems that are weighting me down to the Lord and, by faith, thank him in advance for the peace he will give me. I need to worship him in my prayer and trust that he only allows those things in my life that will make me more like Jesus (Romans 8:28-29).

            Being able to pray with this confidence takes practice. Sometimes my mind must tell my emotions that I’m going to trust God whether I feel like it or not. I must trust the goodness of God as fact whether my senses or my emotions can see what good can possibly come out of a situation. Fortunately, God understands that we humans struggle with this; and it is okay to pray like the father who brought his son to Jesus for healing, “Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

            Father help me to bring all my cares to you trusting that you care for me as your word tells me in I Peter 5:7. You are my loving father, and by faith I praise you now for all that you will do in and through me in the future. Thank you for your loving kindness to me.