"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus".
Philippians 4:6. NKJV
Let's look at the criteria to avoiding anxiety. Anxiety is one of the main reasons that lives fall apart. Burdens crush the brain and life takes off at great speed with ridiculous demands that, pretty soon cause something to snap and the recipient is left in great depths of despair. Here, Paul gives us the antidote for anxiety: Rejoicing, Prayer, Supplication, Thanksgiving, Being in close touch with Jesus and receiving the peace of God. It sounds good, but takes discipline to be able to be free from anxiety.
To rejoice means to become lost in the presence of God; praising Him, listening to Him or just enjoying His silence. When we rejoice - we are filled with the joy of the Lord, we receive strength, power, confidence and feel good about ourselves. Let me say this, you cannot be anxious when you are full of joy, it just can't happen. However, if we place it the other way round we say if you are full of anxiety you cannot be full of joy. One may try but, the cracks show and the anxiety pretty soon, surfaces again.
Just imagine a situation, someone tells you that something is going to happen in either your position at work or your home life. The thing you are told, has no obvious reason why this is going to happen. It just is. Now, you can either worry and fret about something you don't know about or, you can forget it and wait and see what happens. The thing is, when the sleepless nights come and this 'thing' is a prominent part of your thinking, pretty soon anxiety is forming. Are you a worrier? Do you get anxious about things such as this? If so, you need to take the antidote that Jesus has given you because it won't improve until you do. In fact, you will begin to be a bundle of nerves.
Whenever something goes wrong at work or home, if you are an anxious person, you can begin to think that it is your fault or, that people will begin to think it is; especially when you see people speaking quietly and they seem to be looking at you. Don't do this, they will tell you if you are involved, stop getting paranoid. Don't even give in to anxiety; instead take the antidote that Jesus gave you - Rejoicing (and this is always), supplication (pleading with God to help you) Thanking Him and requesting what you need from Him and then allowing yourself to receive the peace of God. This peace is God's peace and we just can't understand it; it is just wonderful and will guard you heart and mind.
We'll look at a way of escape tomorrow
If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:
Lord Jesus, I have sinned
I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.
In Jesus' Name. Amen'
Copyright 2024 Grahame Howard.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com
If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk
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