Addressing Anxiety

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-9

Key Verse: Philippians 4:6

In a world that is all about actionable items and having material things to show off your success, it can be pretty easy to become anxious about life. However, God has come so that we may have peace with and in our life. We have to trust that He is working things out for our good at all times even if we are not currently where the world says we should be. After reading this devotion, I pray that God frees you from your anxiety and covers you with peace.

It may sound like a weird concept, but one of the first things we can do as children of the most high God to address our anxiety is just rejoice (v.4). In the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, we must seek joy in God. How does one find joy in God when everything around you looks dark and impossible and all odd are against you? Well honestly friends sometimes you have to remember all the things God has blessed you with prior to and in that moment. The fact that you are alive and well enough today to read this devotion is reason to rejoice. God has not brought you this far in life to leave you. So, go ahead and praise Him in advance for what is to come. The fact that you are smiling in the midst of trouble will be evidence to the world that God is with you (v.5). It is also evidence that earthly problems do not control your joy because it is rooted in something bigger that the human mind can’t even comprehend.

Now what the world wants you to do is stress out. They want you to be in constant competition with the next person who could quite frankly care less about who you are and what you are doing. They want you to isolate from family and friends. They want you to be alone and inside of your head. However, God wants you to know that even if you are stressed right now everything is going to be alright because Romans 8:28 reminds us “that all things work together for the of them who love the Lord.” This means that bad grade on that test is going to work for your good. That broken relationship is going to work out for your good. That hidden insecurity or problem that no one knows about is going to work out for your good. ALL THINGS, not some things but ALL THINGS are working together for your good. God doesn’t want you to stress. He is commanding us to not be anxious (v.6). It isn’t an option because everything can be prayed about. There is nothing on this earth that we can’t talk to God about. He wants to hear from us. We have to believe that it is already done while being grateful for what He has already done.

In rejoicing and praying, the peace will come (v.7 &9). God’s peace can’t be explained it must be experienced. It will cover you and support you in ways that earth cannot. It will never leave you as long as you remain in the company of Christ. Anxiety cannot exist where God’s peace lives. God’s peace will stand guard at the doors of our heart. We must put Him first. We must put Him before any decision so that He can guide our steps. If you are anxious about a decision you are planning to make or have made recently, ask yourself did you pray about it. If you didn’t, ask yourself why that is. What is stopping you from talking to God about the life He gave you? If you did talk to Him, did you make time to wait for His response or did you ask Him to bless the decision you made for yourself? What does your prayer life look like? Are you praying about your anxiety or are you replacing prayer with man made medication that should only serve as a complement to the issue? God wants to help you. He wants to see you succeed. He wants to see you smile again. Will you trust Him today?

Prayer: Heavenly father, today I want to say thank you for all that you have done in my life. Thank you for health and strength. Thank you for removing this anxious spirit and giving me your Spirit that brings me peace. Lord I love you more than words can even explain. I never want to stop loving you and praising you. From this day forward I want you to be ruler of my life. Keep me in your care Show me your way. So that, when this life is over, you can get the glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.