“Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7
This text gives the Christian’s cure for anxiety that really works. We have the power of God residing in us to do all things through Him that He has made provision for us to do. Being free of anxiety is one of those things.. Unleash the power to live stress free and enjoy God’s goodness. Here’s how;
- Be anxious for nothing – this is a command, so this is what we are called to do. Anxiousness is not a gift of the Spirit but a work of the flesh that is not trusting God. First step is to make a decision that being anxious is not God’s plan and that you will not accept it as ok, but will battle it Biblically with the enabling given by God. He has given you the grace to not be anxious. When God commands, He also provides.
- Pray – once you refuse anxiousness, then you go to God in prayer. This connects you with the source of all power. God wants you to come to Him, and when you do you are redirecting responsibility for your life and whatever you are going through. You are asking for help from the One who can and will.
- Give Thanks – this is a huge key in curing stress. When you pray, you are not just saying a whole bunch of things over and over again thinking that the more you do then eventually feel better. Instead, here in this text, we see that when we are stressed we bring our specific issue or issues to God in prayer, knowing that He can and will help. When you give thanks you are saying that you have faith, that God will do what’s best and that you are resting in the fact that He will, no matter what happens. This is unconditional faith, trusting God’s will, God’s way in God’s time. Giving thanks says now you are done with the issue or issues because they are going to be dealt with by God in the best way. Giving thanks is like the period on the end of a sentence. It says it’s finished. Faith trusts God, shifts responsibility to Him and leads to giving Him thanks.
- Let your requests be made known to God – whatever it is that bothers you or stresses you out, just tell God knowing He hears, cares and responds.
- Peace of God – when we do 1-4, the result it God’s supernatural peace. It is not a natural or man-made peace. It is divine and can only be had by trusting God. It goes beyond the human realm as it “surpasses understanding.” It guards the two most important places Christian’s need peace, their hearts and minds. The two battlefields where peace is contended.
The lesson here is to see God’s provision for you when it comes to anxiety and apply His prescription. That’s it. If you still have anxiety then the wrong person is carrying the load. Give it to God, be free, find rest for your heart and mind and let God do the worrying. After all, it’s not your problem, it’s His now.