Why do we feel anxious about the future? Why are we waking up at 3:30 A.M. worrying about the kids, the job, the bills, our marriage or the fact that we are not married? We obsess about the future and fret about things we cannot control. And, we do these things in the face of Paul\u2019s assurances that God has all these areas of our life covered. Take a look at Philippians 4: 6-7, below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo NOT be anxious about anything, but in EVERY situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that exceeds all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.\u201d [Emphasis added]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The reason we read this passage and still fret and worry and are anxious is simply because we are not sure that if we really, truly surrender our fears, worries and concerns to God that He will get it right! We don\u2019t really TRUST Him to know what is best for us and our kids and our net worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet look closely at what Paul is teaching. He instructs us to give every concern to God in prayer. He coaches us to make the long list of petitions or requests for God. Paul is not backing up here and scolding us for asking God for stuff. But then there is this pesky word\u2026thanksgiving\u2026 Paul must have just misplaced this word when he wrote this. After all, we know that we must be thankful after God answers our prayers, right? But no! Paul is placing that word exactly where it should be\u2026before we receive God\u2019s answers to laundry list of wishes. Paul is instructing us to be thankful to God for His answers, before we even find out what they are. Paul is telling us to be thankful for God\u2019s leading and bounty and discipline or whatever His answers will be BEFORE we know them and judge them according to our yardstick of acceptance. We must trust that God knows what is best for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our prayer should perhaps end with this statement: \u201cGod, please hear the prayer I would have prayed if I had all your information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Paul writes of the peace of God that defies human understanding and that will guard our hearts he is using military language. When a friendly army surrounded a city, the inhabitants of the city slept peacefully. If we had Seal Team 6 patrolling the perimeter of our yard at night, we would sleep like babies. But that is the type of peace of which Paul is assuring us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Al-Anon the slogan, \u201cLet Go and Let God\u201d is used. Use it here. We can alleviate the stress of anxiety and worry by really trusting that God knows our every need and will get our requests right\u2026even if we don\u2019t think so in the short term. Let God do His thing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why do we feel anxious about the future? Why are we waking up at 3:30 A.M. worrying about the kids, the job, the bills, our marriage or the fact that we are not married? We obsess about the future and fret about things we cannot control. And, we do these things in the face of Paul\u2019s assurances that God has … <\/p>\n