Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. -Philippians 4:6-7
For some of us, telling us not to worry is like telling us not to breathe. It’s impossible. Our minds are full of worries. We worry about who’s taking care of our kids. We worry about our safety. We worry about how we will endure years of low wages, ungrateful bosses and dead-end jobs.
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-6 that, as believers, we should NOT worry. Is Paul in touch with reality, telling us not to worry? He is not suggesting that the things we worry about are not real. Remember he suffered lots of abuses too. He is also not instructing us just to pretend that things don’t bother us. No, he’s telling us that when we are tempted to worry, we should pray instead. Again, these are not suggestions; these are commands. He doesn’t say, “Maybe you should consider not worrying so much.” He says, “Stop it! Don’t worry about anything.” Not one thing.
Instead—and that’s a key word in this verse—pray. Not occasionally. Not when we feel like it. Pray about everything.
Why does Paul use such strong language? He knows that worry leads to evil and eats away at us—literally. It gives us ulcers. It gives us searing headaches. It robs us of sleep. So he suggests another way: Tell God what you need. Pray about everything. Picture God with His hands stretched out, waiting for you to place your worries in His hands. Then take each worry and give it to Him. Remember, He’s strong. He can hold a heavy load.
Then after praying and giving your worries to God, thank Him for all He has done. All day long, thank Him. What will happen? Paul tells us that we will experience a peace that is beyond our imagining. Try it…see what happens!
Skip to content