“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4: 6-7

Don’t worry the Bible says. Yea…sure…easy enough right? 

Worrying has been center of my life for as long as I can remember. I worry about my kids. I worry about my finances. I worry about my health. I worry about my career. I worry about my future. 

When I try to stop worrying, I worry I will worry. Then I worry because I worried about worrying. Then I worry I will never stop worrying. Worry, worry, worry…

But the Bible clearly states over and over again to not worry and trust God with faith He will take care of my needs in any circumstance.

In Philippians 4:6-7, God tells us to do three things to help with our worries: Prayer, Petition, and Thanksgiving.

Prayer: Begin your prayer by reminding yourself of who God is. God is sovereign and in complete control.  He has the power to care of your needs and is faithful in this promise. This belief relieves the pressure of feeling you must do everything on your own.

You may not get what you want, but you will get what you need. Remembering this allows you to surrender with more peace and clarity to get through life’s challenges.

Petition: Worry is a waste of time. If you can change a situation, why worry because you can change it. If you can’t change a situation, why worry because there’s nothing you can do about it anyway. Worry accomplishes one thing….it robs your peace of mind.

Instead of worrying, talk to God about your concerns. When you talk to God about your worries, you get them out in the open and helps to relieve stress and anxiety from your situation. 

God already knows what’s bothering you, but He wants you to go to Him in need and have a conversation about it. This is how you build your relationship with Him. 

Relationships are your lifeline during troubled times for receiving compassion, guidance and support to heal and keep your head up high. That’s what relationships are all about… to love, help and serve each other. God loves you so much and wants to help you every chance He can get.

Thanksgiving: When you are grateful and thank God for the times He has intervened in the past, it’s a reminder He is faithful in His word. Showing gratitude for how much God provides helps to see the good existing in the midst of difficult times. An attitude of gratitude opens your heart to God creating more faith and belief He will carry you through any difficulties you’re facing.

Giving thanks to God allows you step out in faith and trust giving you the ultimate peace of mind. God will guard your hearts and mind from falling into despair and negative thinking with the peace that surpasses all understanding.

My hope for you and myself is we transform our worry time to prayer time with deep gratitude for all God has done, and to walk in faith and trust God will protect our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus forever.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash