From December 28 – January 6, there will be a countdown of the top ten most viewed posts in 2021. Today is #1, originally posted January 19, 2021.
“Be anxious for nothing” Paul writes in Phillipians 4:6 (NASB). But I wonder how? How is it possible to be anxious about nothing? Just look at the world around us and there’s plenty to be anxious about.
Yet Paul tells us what we should do instead of being anxious. He continues in verse 6: “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Paul encourages us to seek God in the midst of our anxiousness. To humbly lay our concerns (supplication) before our Lord; to approach God with thanksgiving in our heart.
Paul is laying out the path to finding peace in the middle of our struggles — peace amidst our fears about what might happen in an uncertain future. When we humble ourselves before God in prayer, we accept His sovereignty. When we approach God with a grateful heart despite our circumstances, we are on a path to finding peace through our Lord Jesus.
A heart full of anger toward God does not find rest. This is not a condition of humble submission to God. A heart that is ungrateful about life’s circumstances is vulnerable to bitterness. This hinders the ability to see God’s purposes. It becomes difficult to experience “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension (verse 7);” difficult to “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Anxious thoughts will still come in our uncertain world. Questions about God’s purposes remain. But if we train our minds to humbly approach God with our concerns, our fears, our anxious thoughts; to approach our Lord with thanksgiving for His grace and love; we can know the peace that goes beyond our understanding. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can stop bitterness from taking root.
© 2021 CGThelen
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. – Hebrews 12:11
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
140 Character Christian 
Amen! Paul’s message in Philippians prepares our hearts before praying to the Lord.
May we have a heart for God. Blessings.
Peace in the middle of our worries is highly needed in the times we are living in. Never more have we needed guarding our hearts from bitter roots, anger and whatever else seeking to stain us.
Well said. We must be vigilant not to let circumstances steal our hope. Blessings.
Yes, definitely we must be on our toes not to let that happen! Keep the faith! Blessing to you!
Somehow, I missed this post the first time. I’m glad you shared it again, and I’ve really enjoyed your 2021 count down series! You are both purposeful and predictable with your blog. I am inspired to be the same with mine. Regarding the subject of this post, it’s so easy to believe God is there for us—in theory—but the real challenge begins when we must exercise our faith. I find the closer I am to God the easier it is to navigate difficult life circumstances. This is why regular prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers is so important. God’s best to you in 2022,CG!
Thanks for your encouragement. I appreciate your visits to this blog and sharing your thoughts. You are so right about regular prayer, Bible study and fellowship. There is a direct correlation between the amount of time I spend with God and my attitude toward life. Blessings to you.
Amen, taking a breath, a step back and breathing with a long talk with God then settling into His arms for a nap sure helps!! 🙏
Well said. That sure is calming imagery. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
You too 😃
So true! Prayer teaches us to rely on God when dealing with troubles. He tells us to throw our burdens on him ( 1 Peter 5:7). I’m so grateful for the peace that comes from prayer.
Praise God for the peace that surpasses all understanding! Thanks for the comment. Blessings.
You offer wise insights into our hearts and the Heart of God.
When we approach God with anger or bitterness, we fail to humble ourselves before Him – we are still seating ourselves on His throne. I still do not understand (and I may never understand) why it is so hard to die to our flesh, but it is always better to surrender to God all of ourselves: we were designed that way.
I don’t understand either why it is so hard to die to our flesh. It is a spiritual battle that continues. Praise God for his grace. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Blessings.
Amen, beautifully written, in the unrest with our world these days we need to focus on Christ.
May we find peace in our Lord Jesus. Blessings.
Amen