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Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Rejoicing has been a challenge recently. I have allowed myself to get overwhelmed by a number of stressors. My work/rest balance is out of whack. My attitude is slipping. Burnout is a daunting reality.
In the midst of my prayers that the Lord help me not be anxious about anything, I am presenting my requests for His provision and His wisdom, with thanksgiving. And I am following Paul’s recipe for my thinking. By focusing on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, the peace of God fills my heart and mind as only He can.
This transformation of thinking is not an overnight or immediate solution. Every day, and every hour, sometimes every minute, I have to refocus my thoughts in order to not become overwhelmed again. The struggle is real, but the solution is guaranteed.