Overcoming anxiety
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 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 4:4-7 From the text, God’s admonition to His children when going through tough times is to remain strong and not be overcome by anxiety. The book of Philippians was one of the letters the apostle Paul wrote while in prison. He has all the reasons to be bitter in life because of what he was facing. He was familiar to all that can cause anxiety. His nation was occupied by a foreign army and ruled by corrupt leaders. He was put to jail because of false accusations. He was facing a possible execution. He was separated from the people he loved. His motives were questioned and felt that he was misrepresented. At one point, He even felt that his friends abandoned him but did not find fault in what they had done towards him. “The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them” (2 Timothy 4:16). Yet in the midst of these trials he was facing, nothing will prevent God from allowing Him to experience His presence and the peace that only comes from Him. “But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:17). God did not promise to remove the load you carry, but He will be there to help you carry the load. He wants you to experience His peace, which is beyond human understanding. You will never fully comprehend how God could give you peace in some of the situations you face, but you do not have to understand it in order to experience it. Instead of complaining and grumbling let the joy of the Lord flow through your life. The Israelites after they were rescued from Egyptian bondage and led by Moses out of Egypt sang “to the LORD, for he is highly exalted” (Exodus 15:1). After three days in the wilderness and they started to encounter hardships they already forgot the goodness and the presence of God that they began to complain. “So the people grumbled against Moses” (Exodus 15:24). Gripping comes when one’s memory of God’s faithfulness fail. When beaten down don’t become bitter. Go back to His word and remember His previous faithfulness and remind yourself of His promises. Instead of mumbling against God for what you don’t have, start thanking Him for what you do have. No matter what your situations are, turn your worries over to God and let His perfect “peace guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Blessings.
