“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
In biblical counseling, this is one of the verses that packs the most punch. Perhaps it is because anxiety has become such a fixture of modern society, but it is undoubtedly a power scripture to memorize and recall in times of stress. Here Paul highlights his concept of thankfulness to God as an integral part of wellness of being. He masterfully and succinctly prescribed a path to mental stability. Beginning with the prognosis of anxiety due to worry, he presents the proper response to it. He notes that if we start with communication with God, transparency about your fears and thankfulness for his providence and character, based on his past care for you, his peace will come upon you. It is a simple and beautiful prescription. The effect of encountering trials this way is the reassurance that a child receives when they realize that their parent is in control, after they agonized over telling them about something they let slip out of control. God is a rather powerful parent. If we are honest with him and thankful, we can live in security no matter the difficulty. The real world application of this is scene in earth Christian’s who were persecuted or faced death with nobility and integrity. We can be as they were. We don’t need to be crippled by anxiety.
JOSH McGARY. COM 