Jittery. Accelerated. Nervous. Stressed. Overwhelmed. Unsettled.
These and other words can be used to describe how I feel when I am anxious. And as students, teachers, and parents, begin the new school year, anxious feelings abound for many.
What do you do when you are anxious? It is not as simple as saying “Don’t be anxious about anything…” However, Philippians 4:6-7 does not end there. “…but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
And the promise? “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
By saying that we shouldn’t be anxious about anything, Paul acknowledges that it is a real struggle, but he carries it a step further and provides a recipe for peace.
We can transform our anxious thoughts into anxious prayers, which become transformed into peaceful prayers.
Amazing how restorative prayer time with our loving heavenly Father can be.
Which end of the spectrum are your prayers on today? Anxious or peaceful? Paul provides an invitation for transformation—made possible when we, in every situation, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God.