Reassurance

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.                                         Phil. 4.6

Paul has an ability to bring great reassurance with simple phrases and sentences. This is perhaps one of the most encouraging verses in Scripture and its encouragement is great because the verse states a simple truth.

Anxiety is not the Christian way. We are called to look to God, to lean upon Him and to make known our every need to Him. How do we do this? In rest and peace.

Is this easy to do? No! Time and again I find myself reacting to my emotions rather than responding to the truth in Him. Just as often God comes through and my anxious

moments prove to be unfounded. Why do I fret, when I have His clear word not to? I don’t have the answer to this. I just know that I do.

But it’s never too late to learn. Paul encourages me to make thanksgiving. There is much I can be thankful about. With respect to any presenting need or anxiety-threatening  situation I can express my thanksgiving to God that He has given me this opportunity to come to Him and present my petition to Him. This is so much more desirable than giving in to anxiety or fretting.

Lord,

I find these words of Paul to be some of the most encouraging of all Scripture. I thank You for them.

I pray that I may see each future challenge as an opportunity to come to You in quiet petition. May I not react anxiously but rather turn my whole focus to You in certain expectation of Your perfect solution Help me to do this, in Jesus’ name I ask.          Amen.