“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Do you ever worry? There’s a lot to worry about as we go through our lives from tests in school, the safety of our children, finances, travel, growing old, etc. What is it for you? Remember God doesn’t want us to worry. Challenge yourself with a little longer memory verse here. Verse 6 is powerful all on it’s own as a reminder to pray. Adding verse 7 answers the question, “Why?”
Context: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is full of great wisdom and encouragement for the new Christians. He wants them to stay true to the Lord. They, too, must have been struggling with situations that were testing their faith. These verses are part of the solution Paul offers to encourage them in their faith.
If we’re being truthful, I don’t believe there’s anybody who can say they don’t worry or have never worried. What’s important is how we handle ourselves in those dark times, avoiding the rabbit hole of “what-ifs.” Why is it our brains always drift toward the worst-case scenario?
It’s especially embarrassing when we, as Christians, fall into the trap of worry. If we’ve read these verses before, we know what we’re supposed to do—pray and don’t worry. Why is it so hard sometimes? I grew up watching my mom put herself into a tailspin worrying over things, little things in my mind. To her, they were not little. I hoped I would never worry like that. These verses have helped me.
Keep these memory verses close at hand as a reminder when those times of worry try to envelope you. We don’t have to fall into the pit of despair because of something that troubles us. Prayer is such a great remedy for these instances.
Prayer is the answer God knew we would need. Tap into a conversation with God, even it is only one-sided to start. Let yourself just vent to God. Letting him know how we feel can bring miraculous peace. That’s the peace of God, the second part of this memory verse.
Next time you find yourself stuck in a pattern of worry, pull these verses out of your toolbox. Don’t forget the thankfulness part. It’s hard to be fraught with anxiety when you’ve got praise and thanksgiving on your tongue. Finding even the smallest blessing to focus on can help. Food in the fridge, a roof over your head, the flowers blooming in the yard, or a breathtaking sunset are great examples of blessings that we often take for granted. Use them to help you get past your worry when you turn to God in prayer.
Let’s pray. Thank you, Jesus, for how you guard my heart and mind from the troubles of this world. Help me to push aside all those challenges that keep me from focusing completely on you. Thank you for the peace you so freely give when I ask and rely on you. Forgive me for those times that I have allowed worry to swallow me up and distract me from my mission for you. Refresh and renew me in this moment so I will be ready to do your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
