SUNDAY January 23, 2022

The Antidote for Anxiety

Be anxious [careful] for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

I believe Paul had a valid reason to worry. He was imprisoned in Rome when he heard about two women, Euodia and Syntyche who were causing disunity in the church in Philippi. His friends were disagreeing with one another and he could not be with them to resolve the issue.

Paul wrote and addressed the conflict. These women had become a root cause of division that burdened the church and blackened their own testimony. Healing through love and forgiveness was the only way to restore the situation. However, Paul did not give way to worry; instead he trusted in the Lord to do what was necessary in the lives of both of them.

As a leader, Paul took the time to explain the secret to victory over worry. The Greek word that Paul used for the words anxious or careful means “to be pulled into different directions.” A person plagued with worry will have mixed emotions. Hope pulls them in one direction and worry pulls them in the opposite direction pulling them apart. When this happens it affects a person’s thinking, the mind is not clear to make wise decisions.

Worry is like cancer, it eats away at you from the inside. It takes more than good intentions to get the victory over worry. The only known antidote to worry is to secure the heart and mind by putting into practice Philippians 4:6-7. Then the peace of God will keep guard over your heart and mind, as if placing a garrison of soldiers to protect them.

With that kind of protection why worry about tomorrow? When you secure your thoughts, the peace of God guards your mind and heart and tomorrow will take care of itself.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
~Isaiah 26:3~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!