“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
“Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change.”
I recently read this quote and thought it was so impactful. It is so easy to worry in the world we live in. There’s so much to do and problems are inevitable in life but when we worry, we really waste energy and time. The dictionary defines worry as “to give way to anxiety or unease; allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.” When we worry, we are giving ourselves over to anxiety and letting it rule us. We are allowing our mind to dwell on it instead of on God.
Colossians 3:2 commands us to “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” and Philippians 4:6-7 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
When we worry, we are talking to ourselves about things that we cannot change, but when we pray, we are trusting in the One who made the universe and is all powerful. He cares about every need and anxiety we have and we can be confident that He is working for the good of those who love and trust in Him. Like the verse in Philippians says, when we pray, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful promise! So let’s stop worrying and start praying!