Overcoming Anxiety, Pt. 4

Thankfulness stops us from being way too focused on ourselves and wallowing
in what we wish were different. Thankfulness lifts us from the pit.

Overcoming Anxiety, Pt. 4

"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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

(Philippians 4:6-8)

I hope you will commit to memory our focal text for this week's devotions. You may ask, "Even verse 8?" Yes, I encourage you to memorize all these verses. They will be a tremendous help for you in your journey toward worry-free living.

God's Word tells us we are to pray about everything.

Everything means everything. You may think something is silly or not that important, and there is no need for you to pray about it. Let me encourage you: pray about it! If it is on your heart and mind, God is concerned about it too. Pray, pray, and pray some more... and as you and I pray, we must be thankful as well. This allows us to pray in faith. It is a powerful thing for you and I to be able to pray something like, "God, You know all things, and You know my heart is tempted right now to worry and be anxious because of what just happened. But I give it over to You. You see it, You heard it, You know how it impacted me. So, I choose to thank You during this storm, knowing that You are good, and You will work it all out, because You are just good like that!"

Thanksgiving is crucial. It seems counterintuitive, or you may even think it is not very helpful. But giving thanks to God is extremely helpful and reflects the genius of God when He tells us to be thankful, even when we really want to worry and complain. Being thankful lifts us from being way too focused on ourselves. We start feeling sorry for ourselves and thinking no one is for us and all is horrible... but nothing could be further from the truth! Choose thanksgiving, and it will help lift you from the pit.

Hear me out on this, and do not judge too quickly what I am about to say. Often the problem lies within ourselves instead of others. Now, I am not minimizing what has happened to you or the wrong that others inflicted upon you. You can choose to forgive and move forward or remain in the cage of bitterness in which you have enclosed yourself. Some will never get this and will go to their graves thinking they are just fine, and the problem is everyone else. It is a sad way to live. In other words, much of the anxiety we have is self-inflicted. We build up walls around us and wallow in the mire of feeling sorry for ourselves.

But God has a better plan! Do not worry, but pray. You can do it. I am praying for you, even now.