Be Anxious For Nothing

 

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Selah- ( this means to think about it)

Have you ever had an irrational fear? Something that caused you just to move from being a little concerned to FULL ON FREAK OUT MODE? Ok. What was it? Did your worry or anxiousness help at all?   Probably not. 

Recently, I was struggling with something and a situation. I read this scripture over and over. One more time just to be sure.  Be anxious for Nothing!  What a great thought. I mean Paul was in prison when he wrote this. Beaten. Chained. He is writing to a group of believers in Jesus. Think about that for perspective. Here is Paul. He could be wracked up in anxiety, but he isn't.  So I studied this scripture more and more. What is Paul saying to the church?

Be anxious for NOTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, Let your requests be made known to God.

1. Don't let your NOTHING be your EVERYTHING. What is it that consumes you? Giving you irrational fear? Divorce? Money? Kids? School?   Here is how you can tell when that THING is becoming the needless anxiousness.  It makes you fear. You aren't thankful.  Paul goes into this rather quickly. Quit dwelling on it and pray about it instead. Give thanks to God. Paul is trying to get us to see things that from heaven's perspective are just not really a big deal.

2. Often, especially in our American culture, we can rush to the next THING. I think Paul is pointing out, be thankful for where you are, what you have, and even what you don't have. You will always have anxiety if you continually rush and don't wait.

I loved verse seven, because in order to get to it, you have to do verse six. You are what you practice.  The implication of Paul writes is that you LET your requests be known to God and then the PEACE of GUARD will guard your heart.  Meaning. You will have something that guards... what does a guard do? Keeps the wrong things out! That is what they do by design. So the peace of God... will Guard you! Keep that worry from living in your soul. 

I had to saturate this last part of the verse in my heart through worship. That his peace passes all my understanding. You don't have to understand it, you just have to experience it. I am not saying to be absent of genuine concerns for the things going on in your life, but not to let them control you.

So the bottom line is : Be anxious for no THING. Pray. Give it to God. Peace will guard you. 

Prayer: God, I give to you all that I cannot control. I exchange that for your peace. Rid me of my worry. Help me to have peace, rest, and live in freedom. In Jesus Name. Amen.