Philippians 4:6–7

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.

The most unhelpful thing you can say to a person who is worrying is, “Don’t worry”. Even when meant kindly, it can actually increase the problems of the person who’s worrying. Not only have they got all their worries but now they need to feel guilty about it as well. Paul doesn’t fall into the trap of giving useless advice because he shows us the way out. He tells the Philippians that there is no need to worry because they can pray about everything. If you place your concerns in God’s hands then you can look to the future with confidence and thanksgiving.

Jesus also recognised that worrying was a significant issue for his followers. He pointed out that it was a waste of time. He asked the question: “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27). Worrying never achieves anything. I rather like the poster which reads: “Worrying is stupid. It’s like walking around with an umbrella up waiting for it to rain.” But Jesus went further and observed that there is absolutely no need to worry because God provides perfectly for all our needs. He pointed to the birds and the lilies of the field and reasoned that if God could look after them then he could clearly look after human beings.

The outcome of trusting God is not merely that the worries disappear but that they are replaced by peace. To give a personal example, I was rushed into hospital a few years ago with sepsis. My blood was poisoned and my heart was racing at an unsustainable speed. As the medics treated me it was clear that I was in serious danger and I thank God that I was overwhelmed with peace. That isn’t something that I could have produced because there was nothing peaceful about the situation. It was God’s gift and I pray that you will be able to take hold of that peace whatever you face.

Question

How do you deal with the worries that come your way?

Prayer

Loving God, thank you that you can replace our worries with your miraculous gift of peace. Amen