“Be careful for nothing”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be careful for nothing ” …. Such an easy statement to read, right? But, it is so hard to apply in our daily life! It is so hard to apply specifically because we live in a world that is constantly changing. We are often faced with problems, struggles, and pain, whether it be at home, at work or at church. So many times, I have personally gotten desperate or impatient with the things or situations that have arose in my life, and if you’re anything like me, then we both know anxiety can kick in quickly. Anxiety is now one of the biggest issues and most common things we face. Even as Christians, we can struggle with this issue if we are not constantly reminded that God is still in control. Anxiety is a result of the lack of trust in God, wanting to fix and take matters into our own hands, and thinking that we can fix it and do better than God. I honestly cannot count the many times that I’ve had to deal with this myself, and trust me, it is not a pretty mindset to be in. I often have to be reminded of a few things that are read here in Philippians 4:6-7, which are the following:

1. KEEP YOUR MIND IN CONTROL… verse 6a – In other words, don’t be too worried or dedicated to the problem or situation. Paul was reminding us to not worry about anything. Yes, nothing at all! I know this can be really hard to do, especially when it involves marital and family problems, sickness, and problems at church which can often be difficult to ignore. I, myself, have had the tendency to rethink things too much. I put too much focus on the problem or on the person creating the problem. I often have to be reminded to not get too emotionally attached to the problem or to someone that I feel has offended me. We cannot allow these problems or thoughts to take over our minds and reside deep in our hearts. If we do, we will soon find ourselves having to deal with the issue of anxiety.

2. PRAY…Verse 6c- Paul was telling us here to put our problems, concerns and worries before God in prayer. We need to take the time to pray and give over our concerns to God instead of wasting our time worrying about them. Why don’t we use that time of worrying to pray instead? I know this can be hard at times, because we often want our issues to be resolved at our time! We ought to try our best to bring it to Him! We need to learn to give Him those burdens that may hinder us in serving Him better. Take the time to pray for those people or issues that are bothering you or are not letting you focus on serving God.

3. BE THANKFUL… verse 6b- Paul was encouraging us to be grateful for the opportunity we have to come before God. That is crazy, right? How can we be thankful for our problems? We have to recognize that those trials that we are facing today, push us to seek God’s guidance more. We learn how to face the problem and approach it. Unfortunately, we don’t come to God as often as we should when everything is well. That problem or need is bringing us to God, and for that, we ought to be thankful. Be grateful for every situation even if it’s hard. Let’s remember that every problem or situation teaches us to grow in faith, to be patient, and to love unconditionally.

4. FILL YOUR HEART AND MIND WITH THE WORD OF GOD….verse 7 Only God can give us that peace and comfort that surpasses all of our understanding during our trials. The Word of God is our constant refuge where we can find those comforting words that are needed for that specific moment. Make sure to find the time to read your Bible and fill your mind with Bible verses. God will give you that peace that you will need to carry on with your problem. You will feel peaceful when God reassures you through His Word that He is still in control.

Remember that in every problem or situation, He is already there. We just need to keep trusting Him even when we feel we cannot see Him. He has promised to be there with us always, even beyond death… PRAISE THE LORD!! Never doubt that God’s hand is present in your every day situation. Remember that He loves you!