Do not be anxious

The clock reads 3:30 am. I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep. I know if I let my mind wander I’ll be awake completely. Three slow deep breaths and I try to relax, hoping I’ll doze off again. No use. With a sigh, I acknowledge I’m up for the duration. Another sleepless night. Do not be anxious about anything.

What keeps you awake? What worries snap you out of a drowsy state or haunt your dreams when you do manage to fall asleep? From fear of monsters under the bed, tryouts for the school play, a difficult project or exam, issues with friends, job, children, grandchildren, the stock market performance, your retirement fund, a health issue, or an elderly parent, depending on what season of life we’re in, when anything we care about is at risk, we all have the capacity to be anxious.

Even with a strong faith, there are times when life comes at you hard and fast, or an unexpected gut punch hits you when you’re exhausted and overwhelmed. We all face worry, anxiety, and fear. Do not be anxious about anything.

Paul, the apostle formerly known as Saul, faced enough anxiety-inducing situations to qualify him to speak on the subject. He was beaten, ship-wrecked, bitten by a deadly snake, stoned and left for dead. He tortured people for their faith, then became one of the tortured. He had enough personal experiences to take most people out and he just kept going back for more.

When he wrote the letter to the Philippian believers, he was in prison–not for breaking the law, but simply for his faith in Jesus Christ. His reasons for writing them a letter included a thank you for gifts they’d sent him, a caution to be aware of false teachers, and a plea for two women in the church to get along. But conspicuously absent in these four short chapters are any complaints about his imprisonment. He didn’t request assistance to be set free or include a prayer request for comfort or safety. His main message? Have joy in all circumstances. Have humility like Christ. Do not be anxious about anything. He didn’t even ask them to pray he’d live through the whole thing.

Instead, he gave them a list of good things to think about, to dwell on, rather than being worried or anxious about their own circumstances.

He told the Philippian believers that if they be joyful always, if they’d present their requests to God with a thankful heart, if they’d be reasonable and gentle to everyone, God’s peace would be with them. In fact, if they’d keep their minds on things that were true, noble, and admirable, and do what they’d learned from him in his time with them, the God of peace Himself would be with them.

Do not be anxious about anything, Paul said. Do these things that he’d taught them to do, and they’d experience the peace and presence of God.

I came across a quote a few years ago, the gist of which was: worry means we’re afraid to trust God, bitterness means we think He got it wrong.

I don’t know about you, but I could do with a little less worry, a little less anxiety in my life. That won’t happen by accident. I’ve got to be intentional. C. S. Lewis said we need a daily dose of God’s word to keep us on track. In studying Philippians, I’m learning how to have peace and how to experience joy. With all the stuff coming at me daily, these are two sure remedies for anxiety. I welcome more of both.

I can’t help but believe if, like Paul encouraged the believers in his letter, I’m dwelling on looking out for the interests of others and not just my own, and if I’m trusting God to handle the big picture while I follow Paul’s advice, I’ll sleep a lot better at night.

“Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again: rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything 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 4:4-7 NIV

Blessings!

Philippians text taken from NIV