Philippians 4:6-8 New King James Version (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."
God says in verse 6, "Do not be anxious about anything But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Paul does not simply tell the Philippians to stop worrying, he gives the antidote for anxiety—prayer. In any and every situation we can bring our requests, our needs, and our problems to God and leave them, with gratitude, in his capable hands. Verse 7 continues “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Here, he is talking about the peace that comes from the God who is never subject to anxiety because He is the sovereign Creator and Lord of the universe. We are promised God’s incomparable peace when we pray.
Do you sometimes feel anxious about your:-
• Finances: How will I make this month’s bills? What if I lose my job? What if the economy fails?
• Health, especially as you grow older: What if I get cancer? What if I’m disabled or have to go into a nursing home? If you are younger, perhaps you may have these same anxieties concerning your parents.
• Children: Will they turn out okay? Will they avoid drugs and sexual immorality? Will they be able to get into college and then get a decent-paying job? Will they marry a godly person and have a happy home?
I am sure you want to be able to rest, to not have to worry, to feel free to enjoy life, family, friends, work, church, hobbies and entertainment. You want to be able to enjoy yourself and not be burdened down with worries that rob you of vigour, life, and purpose. Most times when you can't find peace of mind, you get depressed. You often get angry and lash out at God or someone else. What do you do to get peace? I mean real peace in your life. Where do you start? What do you do?
The best place to start is with God. Every time you begin to feel worried or anxious, make the conscious decision to pray about whatever is bothering you and hand the situation over to God. Believe that God can and will handle it. Remember to be thankful! It is a wonderful feeling knowing that your life is in God’s hands and that he is powerfully working on your behalf. God will indeed guide you through life’s journey and help you through difficulties. God does not want you to be anxious about anything. In particular, he does not want you to be anxious about your physical needs. God has promised that he will provide for you, and you need to trust that he will keep his promise and take care of your daily needs.
Prayer with thanksgiving is key. If you are thankful for what God has already done; if you are mindful of the ways he has already provided, then you can be at peace. The peace that transcends understanding is the ability to be at peace when there's a seemingly legitimate reason to be anxious. When you are facing a situation where it would be easy to worry but instead you are at peace about it; that doesn't make any sense apart from God. And that peace will guard your heart and mind against gravitating toward worry, fear and anxiety.
There is so much currently happening in the world today. The COVID-19 virus has spread from Asia to Europe and North America rapidly over the past few weeks, bringing with it a level of panic and anxiety - over 200 countries and territories around the world, from the supermarket to the stock market to the palace to the prison – have not seen such a terror and fear in the recent history. Take time and pray for protection and preservation for your family and friends. Pray for all those who are risking their lives, some of whom have even died, in the course of duty. Pray for the families who have lost their loved ones as a result of this outbreak. Pray for healing and grace for those who are infected and affected. Pray that Researchers will be inspired, give insight and hope as they develop a vaccine. Pray that the Lord will sustain all workers and business owners who suffer loss of livelihood due to shut-downs, quarantines, closed borders, and other restrictions in Jesus Mighty Name!
In this Month of Prayer, dedicate and commit time to pray. Trust God completely to always do what is in your best interest. Trust that God has the power to lovingly guide your life and intervene in every situation. Just trust that God will help you in every situation through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving!
