June 4 – A Place of Rest (Philippians 4:4-7)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

IN WORD:
We are easily caught up in anxious thoughts. Anxiety can keep us thinking obsessively about a certain problem, occupying all of our time and energy. We pray about the situation, asking God to intervene. But still, we are consumed with it. Shedding our anxiety does not come easily.
Paul gives us wise advice. It is, in fact, a command: “Do not be anxious about anything.” How can we follow this? We can go through the motions of prayer, but how can this kind of peace sink into our hearts in the midst of a difficult problem? By praying with thanksgiving and full trust that the problem is God’s. In this kind of prayer, we transfer ownership of our situation to God. We do not need to be wrapped up in it; it is His.
There is no way to come to this place of rest unless we are able to relinquish our agenda in the situation. We must become willing for God to work it out in any way He chooses, whatever the result to us. It seems scary to relinquish control, but we were never really in control anyway. And what outcome might God work out that would not be entirely good? He is completely trustworthy with our problems.

IN DEED:
Are you going through a difficult trial? Relinquish your goals in it. In your heart, transfer ownership of the situation to God. Our anxiety comes from a false sense of control — a sense that we perhaps are responsible to manipulate the crisis to work out for good. That’s God’s job. Let go of your will, and let your heart and your mind be at peace.

“Pray, and let God worry.” -Martin Luther-