| “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 |
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| DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING! PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING! Life is, well, difficult and challenging. We can easily become consumed with daily concerns. Martha, for example, was so overwhelmed, worried, and concerned with getting a meal prepared for Jesus and friends, that she got all out of sorts with her sister, Mary, and even with her honored dinner guest, JESUS. Jesus told her that she was worried/anxious and troubled about many things.” Is it possible your life is being consumed by daily concerns like Martha’s? The Apostle Paul knew the reality of being anxious and addressed the subject head-on in Philippians 4:6. He literally gives a command to STOP BEING ANXIOUS. Why such a command? Well, to be anxious is to have a divided mind as one does not know WHAT TO DO. Instead of having this divided mind that paralyzes a person Paul says, pray. Instead of turning things over and over in your head turn things over to God. Instead of tossing and turning with all your cares and concerns cast your cares on the Lord. STOP WORRYING AND START PRAYING! As one probes the depths of this very practical verse there are two words that do present a challenge and they should be examined and yes, applied as we pray. Now, without a doubt, Paul wants us to take everything to God in prayer. He tells us not to be anxious. We are not to be worried. He tells us to make our request to God regarding the things that have us worried and anxious. Yet within this most wonderful and helpful verse are the words WITH THANKSGIVING. As we make our request it is to come “with thanksgiving.” WITH THANKSGIVING. Those two words are challenging as most of our prayers are for God to change something, something that we do not like. I am not saying all our prayers are this but if I am being honest and you are being honest a lot of praying takes place because we do not like the situation or the circumstances we are facing. To add to the prayer request THANKSGIVING seems to indicate an acceptance of the circumstance that we want God to change. And that just might be the purpose behind the Holy Spirit guiding Paul’s hands in writing WITH THANKSGIVING to this invitation to pray. As we give God thanks for the circumstance we want to be changed, we might find God wants to use the circumstance to change us. Offering thanksgiving with our request may just change our perspective and instead of asking God to get us out of the circumstance, we ask God to get us through the circumstance. Ultimately Philippians 4:6 is one of the great verses in the Bible that reminds us that God does want us to bring everything we are facing to Him in prayer. We don’t need to be living a life of fear and anxiety. We don’t have to have a divided mind. We don’t have to be consumed with cares, and concerns. Oh, by the way, just in case you were wondering what God does when we do bring these requests to Him we only have to look at verse 7. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” To our prayers God beings PEACE. As Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Do not forfeit the peace of God all because you do not take everything to God in prayer. Verse to DATE the Word on April 6 (4/6) is Philippians 4:6. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING! PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING! Continue Strong praying about everything, And remember to DATE the Word |