STOP & PRAY

“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

       Peace.  It seems so elusive at times.  With all the troubles this life provides it seems like an impossible state to attain.  So how then can the Lord, thru the Apostle Paul, actually say to us that we aren’t to worry about anything?  In all His wisdom God has a plan to rid us of worry or knowing mortal man the way He obviously does, to minimize it.  Pray.  According to God’s Word we need to pray whenever we encounter events that evoke feelings of stress, anxiety and concern. 

       Now it seems a little silly to have to tell God what we are in need of, doesn’t it?  His foreknowledge allows Him to know all things, even our simplest, seemingly most insignificant needs.  So why do we need to tell Him what they are?  I believe it’s for our benefit, rather than the Lords.  We are verbalizing our needs aloud as a sort of bookmark so that when the need is met we will remember what we asked for and praise God for His provision. 

       The peace that God gives us is something the world is incapable of giving.  It guards our hearts and minds, the two most critical strongholds where our faith resides.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to peace as a gift:  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”(John 14:27 NLT) If it’s a gift, then it’s something we can receive.  The gift takes hold once we shift our focus on to Christ and off of the object of our concern.  Wherever we are, whatever is taking place to cause you to be anxious, STOP … and pray.  You will be amazed at how things will change, not around you, but within your own heart and mind.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.