In my previous post, I wrote about the blessing of extraordinary peace. It’s taken from Philippians 4:7:
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
In reality, however, we might find ourselves in the opposite condition. Instead of living in God’s peace, we live in worry. Instead of being joyful, we are anxious. We don’t have the peace of God in our hearts. Instead, we have all kinds of negative thoughts.
How can we overcome this? How can we overcome worry?
Fortunately, we can find an answer in the verse prior to the verse above. Here is what Philippians 4:6 says:
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
This verse explains how not to be anxious about anything. How? By praying. And in your prayer, there are two things that you need to do:
1. Be open to God
“In everything… let your requests be made known to God.”
When you face a difficult situation, you need to be open to God about it. Be open about what you feel. Be open about what you need. After all, God is our Father. He will listen to you when you pour out your heart to Him. You don’t need to arrange your words when you talk with Him. He is our Father, not a far-away God.
2. Give thanks
“…with thanksgiving…”
The second thing that you need to do is to give thanks. This is important. Why? Because it makes your attitude positive. Instead of just complaining, you appreciate all the good things that He has done for you. You look at the positive side of your life. You appreciate His goodness and blessings.
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If you do these two things, something will happen: the peace of God will fill your heart. Verse 7 says:
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I have experienced this many times in my life. When I face a difficult situation, I learn to be open to God about it. I pour out my heart to Him. But I also give thanks. And the result is inevitable: the peace of God fills my heart. The worry is gone. It’s amazing.
I hope you also have the same experience in your life.
