Are you a Nervous Nelly? Could others describe you as a worrier? They certainly could describe me as one. I don’t want to be that way. Lord knows I try my hardest not to be. In fact, I’ve developed my own coping strategies over the years. They are good ones, but somehow I still always struggle. I intentionally redirect my thoughts. I sit down with a hot cup of lavender honey tea. I always have my “Jesus music” going to try to keep my focus on praising and worshipping my Savior. I breathe. I look out the window. I try to live with intentionality. But I still struggle.
This morning I find myself anxious over an important doctor’s appointment I’ve been anticipating for about a month. Truth be told, I’m nervous. So, I do the best thing I can do when feeling overwhelmed by my circumstances and sit down with my Bible. I ask God to speak to me and use His Word to mold me and calm me. I open my devotional and the title for today is “Be Anxious for Nothing”. As He so often does, my Father gives me the perfect Word at the perfect time. The book leads me to Philippians 4:6 where I find encouragement and nourishment even before I read what the devotional has to offer.
I tend to be ruled by my thoughts and feelings. Does anyone else have that tendency? But in Philippians chapter 4 God tells us how to prioritize our thoughts and the result of that focus. In verses 4-6 it is laid out in order of importance for us. Our first and primary focus should be on the Lord: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” The key words here being “always” and “again I will say” show the importance of this focus. Our thoughts should be directed secondly to others: verse 5 says “Let your gentleness be known to all men.” We should be selflessly showing love to others and thinking of them before ourselves. I don’t know about you but I struggle with the gentle part, especially with those closest to me. Why am I less gentle with the ones I love the most? Lastly, my focus should be on myself: verse 6 says to “Be anxious for nothing.” That is referring to me. This verse is telling me to not be ruled by my feelings and anxious thoughts. It goes on to tell me that if I instead present my requests to God, thanking Him, that the result will be peace ruling my heart and mind instead of worry or anxious thoughts. How comforting it is to know that my Father, who loves me more than any fellow human could, will replace my anxiety with His peace! His peace will literally guard my heart and mind through my Jesus! It surpasses all understanding! I don’t understand how He can do that, but I don’t have to understand it for Him to do His work in me. What a powerful reminder to my fragile heart and mind that my Father is bigger and greater and more powerful than my human thoughts and any circumstance causing me to worry.
In verse 8 Paul goes on to show us how to focus our minds on what is truly important so that we are ruled by peace and not anxiety. He says that the things we are to direct our thoughts on are things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, commendable, virtuous, and praiseworthy. He says to “meditate” on these things! That means that when my thoughts and feelings are running away with me I am to redirect them to things that honor God.
He then breaks it down for us in verse 9. The things that we have learned (heard with our ears), then received (taken into our heart and mind), heard (leaned in and intentionally listened to), and saw (set our eyes upon) we are to then act upon or do. The result of that will be the peace of the Father filling us, being with us.
You see, our attention to the things of God are progressive. We can hear it or read it and then go our way, focusing our thoughts on the things demanding our attention throughout the day, and remain anxious. Or, we can hear it or read it and intentionally set our mind on those things, receive them into our very being and let them change our thoughts and mold us to look more like Jesus. Oh, what peace He fills us with when we intentionally focus on Him!! HE is noble and just and pure and lovely and commendable and virtuous and so praiseworthy! He is worthy of all my praise, and He is with me always (verse 5 says He is near)!
So, I am to be intentional about directing my thoughts to Him, being gentle with others (who are also struggling with their own anxieties), and simply present my requests to Him. Then He will replace my anxiety with His peace.
Thank you, God, for your love and care for me that even covers my thoughts! Thank you for your perfect peace. I don’t understand it, Lord, but I accept it!
In Jesus name, Amen!