Be Anxious for Nothing
By George Stroh
September 12, 2011
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests by made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:6-9)
The Bible has a short and clear instruction for Christians who are anxious and worrying; "Be anxious for nothing." In other words, don't worry about anything. Can you even remember what you were were worrying about a year ago, or even last week? Jesus Said; "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) The truth is that most of things we worry about never happen. Worrying about those things that you can do nothing about is a total waste of time and energy.
Worry and excessive anxiety can even damage you physically; "A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion (worry) is rottenness to the bones." (Proverbs 14:30). Most importantly, worry is sin, a failure of faith in our sovereign God who does all things well; "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28).
In the forth chapter of Philippians, we are given four specific God pleasing alternatives to worrying. First, we are to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! Let your gentile spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:4). Rejoicing in the Lord is an inward recognition of faith and an outward witness to others that our loving, merciful and sovereign Lord is in total control of our circumstances and that He is near!
Secondly, rather than worrying, we are to pray; "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God." (Philippians 4:6). When we pray, we acknowledge and submit with a thankful heart to God's perfect will, knowing that He hears us and cares for us.
Thirdly, we are to think on Godly things; "Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8). Our thoughts, both those that are right and those that are wrong, including worry, can define our lives in either a positive or negative way; "For as he thinks within himself, so he is." (Proverbs 23:7). The forth alternative to worrying is to not only think rightly, but also do the right things; "The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things..." (Philippians 4:9a).
God may or may not take away all those things you are worrying about today. But if you will rejoice in Him, start praying, thinking and doing the right things, you can stop worrying and simply rest in God's supernatural peace; "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus... And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:7,9b). Maranatha!
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