Pray more, worry less

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Living with joy”

Our Bible verse for today: “Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Pray more, worry less”

As we consider Paul’s thoughts in Philippians 4:5-7 we need to connect this to what was going on with the two women Paul referred to in the previous verses and what he was trying to get across to them. They were in conflict and it needed to be resolved.

In verse six Paul is teaching them (and us) that rather than worrying about if we have been offended, just pray about it and give it to the Lord. What did that mean for Euodia and Syntyche in the middle of the conflict between them? He was telling them to stop worrying about what they suspected the other one was saying and doing, and to stop letting that affect their own thinking and actions. Pray about it, commit it to the Lord, and let it go.

Then in verse seven he tells them that if they will do that, God will give them peace and their heart and mind will be guarded from further assault by Satan. That’s what this lesson meant for those two ladies in the midst of their personal conflict with each other. And obviously, that same lesson applies to any conflict we have with any person. Pray about it, give it to the Lord, and then you focus on being an honorable man or woman of God who rejoices in Jesus and shows graciousness to all people – including and especially to those you might otherwise be in conflict with. Doing that will bring peace and joy, rather than conflict, worry and anxiety.

But there’s a larger life-lesson in these verses as well. In the specific context of this passage Paul was giving advice about an ongoing conflict between two individuals in that church in Philippi. But the advice he gives can and should be applied by all of us and to all of life – pray more so you can worry less. This is a sure-fire prescription for minimizing fear, worry, and anxiety, and for maximizing peace and joy in your life. Rather than worrying, commit it to prayer. And the bigger the issue, the more difficult the situation, the more prayer it needs.

These is more than just a quaint old Christian cliché. This is a promise from God and it is clear instruction to us about how to handle these things. You commit it to God in prayer, and He will give you peace and guard your heart. And the more you pray, the more peace and joy you will have.

Pray more, worry less. That’s good advice for all of us and for all of life.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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