Topic: Christian Living / Situational

Anxious For Nothing

The Greek word for anxiety comes from a word that means "to divide." And that's exactly what it does. Anxiety divides your mind. You may try to carry on as normal, but there's a part of your mind that is occupied with the cause of your anxiety. You have a divided mind.

A divided mind is not God's will for a Christian's life, so the apostle Paul gives us the solution to this problem. Let's look at Philippians 4:6-7.

What Does God Say?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"
(Philippians 4:6-7, ESV)

�?What can we legitimately be anxious about?

�?List the four steps Paul mentions in verse 6 to deal with anxiety.

�?What promise do we have in verse 7 if we follow these steps

My Thoughts

The word "prayer" in verse 6 implies "a prayer of praise." In a prayer of praise we focus on the attributes of God-His power, His grace, His wisdom, His mercy. Of course God knows all that about Himself, but you and I often forget. When you bring your problems to God-the prodigals in your life, your finances, your health-begin by reminding yourself that you're bringing your problems to a God who is big enough to deal with them, no matter what they are.
Obviously, God wants us to bring our difficulties to Him, but not in a demanding way. Supplication implies that one who is less is asking one who is greater for a favor. We can't force or manipulate God into answering our prayers.
This is then followed by thanksgiving. Not just thanksgiving that God is going to deal with our problems, but thanksgiving that our problems are driving us to a closer relationship with Him.
And it is to Him--the ultimate solution to all our anxieties--that we're to turn when anxieties arise. Often we're tempted to tell everyone but God about our problems. God graciously says, "Bring them to Me. I'm the one who can deal with them."

My Part

God doesn't promise us an absence of problems, but He does promise us a peace in the midst of them. Is your mind being divided by anxious thoughts or are you experiencing the peace of God? If you're not experiencing that peace, go back through the steps in verse 6 to see what you might be missing. Are you focusing on the mighty God you serve or are you focusing on the problems? Are you bringing your problems with a humble attitude (supplication) to God? Are you expressing thanksgiving not just for the solutions to your problems but for the spiritual growth you're experiencing through them? And, finally, are you truly bringing them to God or are you trusting that others will have the solutions you need? If you're missing one of these steps, it could be the reason you're missing the peace of God.