A Cure For Anxiety!
Reflection: In Philippians 4, Paul gives us
words we can live our lives by. He gives
us a section which, if we meditate on daily, can be a tool for us to keep
things in perspective and a roadmap for the things we set our minds too. This is because there is a direct correlation
between what we put our minds to, and our mental and emotional state. Paul says these words to the Church at
Philippi:
4 Rejoice
in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your
gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be
anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of
God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think
about such things.
First of all,
Paul enjoins us to “rejoice in the Lord always”! This means to find your joy in the Lord, who
is the source of all joy. Remember “joy”
is different than “happiness”. Happiness
is dependent on circumstances like winning the lottery. Joy is fruit of the Holy Spirit believers
possess and maintain through be connected to Jesus continually (see John 15). If there is no joy in your life, there is a
good chance you need to return to the Lord.
Second, Paul
commands us not to be anxious about anything.
Okay that is pretty simple, but we all know it is hard to do! At least I can say I worry about a lot of
stuff I don’t need to. Worry is caused
by me thinking about outcomes that are highly unlikely, but yet I transfix my
thoughts on these outcomes which cause me anxiety. Anxiety can lead to depression another major
illness prevalent in our society. They
are definitely linked because constant anxiety takes a toll on one’s soul or
emotions.
And how do
we avoid being anxious? Paul tells us to pray about all things on all
occasions. As we lift up our burdens to
the Lord with thanksgiving, knowing that He will sustain and work out things
according to His pleasure and for our good, we can have a “peace that passes
understanding”. Notice this is a promise
from God to us. Notice too, this peace
guards our hearts and minds! The Greek
word for “guard”, is like a man guarding a post with a sword. It is a great visual reminder of the power of
prayer to guard our most important parts of our lives, our hearts and
minds.
Finally,
Paul tells us that another big part of this process is what we think
about. He gives us a guide when he says,
“Whatever
is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, lovely, and
admirable think about such things.”
Remember this as an acrostic TNRPLA!!
True, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable! Think about what you watch and read each day
on TV or the internet, is it TNRPLA???
We can bank
on Paul’s promises that if we pray about all things and let TNRPLA guide our
thoughts and what we set our minds on, that we will not be anxious people and
we will people who can live in Jesus’ joy.
May Paul’s words guard your hearts and minds today as you live for God
wherever he leads you to today!
Amen.
Psalm 88:13-18
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and
been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
Isaiah 46:1-48:6
Gods of
Babylon
46 Bel
bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.
3 “Listen to me, you descendants of
Jacob,
all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or
count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;
it cannot save them from their troubles.
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;
it cannot save them from their troubles.
8 “Remember this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
you who are now far from my righteousness.
13 I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.
take it to heart, you rebels.
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
you who are now far from my righteousness.
13 I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.
The Fall of
Babylon
47 “Go
down, sit in the dust,
Virgin Daughter Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.
2 Take millstones and grind flour;
take off your veil.
Lift up your skirts, bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be exposed
and your shame uncovered.
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one.”
Virgin Daughter Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.
2 Take millstones and grind flour;
take off your veil.
Lift up your skirts, bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be exposed
and your shame uncovered.
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one.”
4 Our Redeemer—the Lord Almighty is
his name—
is the Holy One of Israel.
is the Holy One of Israel.
5 “Sit in silence, go into
darkness,
queen city of the Babylonians;
no more will you be called
queen of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;
I gave them into your hand,
and you showed them no mercy.
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, ‘I am forever—
the eternal queen!’
But you did not consider these things
or reflect on what might happen.
queen city of the Babylonians;
no more will you be called
queen of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;
I gave them into your hand,
and you showed them no mercy.
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, ‘I am forever—
the eternal queen!’
But you did not consider these things
or reflect on what might happen.
8 “Now then, listen, you lover of
pleasure,
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
10 You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
11 Disaster will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly come upon you.
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
10 You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
11 Disaster will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly come upon you.
12 “Keep on, then, with your magic
spells
and with your many sorceries,
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!
Let your astrologers come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;
the fire will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.
These are not coals for warmth;
this is not a fire to sit by.
15 That is all they are to you—
these you have dealt with
and labored with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save you.
and with your many sorceries,
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!
Let your astrologers come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;
the fire will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.
These are not coals for warmth;
this is not a fire to sit by.
15 That is all they are to you—
these you have dealt with
and labored with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save you.
Stubborn
Israel
48 “Listen
to this, you descendants of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel
and come from the line of Judah,
you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
and invoke the God of Israel—
but not in truth or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city
and claim to rely on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
3 I foretold the former things long ago,
my mouth announced them and I made them known;
then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn you were;
your neck muscles were iron,
your forehead was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced them to you
so that you could not say,
‘My images brought them about;
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
6 You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
you who are called by the name of Israel
and come from the line of Judah,
you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
and invoke the God of Israel—
but not in truth or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city
and claim to rely on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
3 I foretold the former things long ago,
my mouth announced them and I made them known;
then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn you were;
your neck muscles were iron,
your forehead was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced them to you
so that you could not say,
‘My images brought them about;
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
6 You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on
I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you.
of hidden things unknown to you.
Philippians 4:2-13
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead
with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I
ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my
side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my
co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Final
Exhortations
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I
will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to
all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but
in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And
the God of peace will be with you.
Thanks for
Their Gifts
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord
that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but
you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this
because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know
what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any
and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in
want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Your words became to me
a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your
name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16
Lord, grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness. Acts 4:29
Dear Lord, help us to spread the word of your greatness and to speak it to anyone who will listen. Give strength to missionaries, so they may show your way to the ones who would never know it. Help us speak your word every day. Amen.
Lord, grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness. Acts 4:29
Dear Lord, help us to spread the word of your greatness and to speak it to anyone who will listen. Give strength to missionaries, so they may show your way to the ones who would never know it. Help us speak your word every day. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment