To find the peace of God
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 4:6-7
If one word could describe the recent years, I suppose “anxious” would be as good as any.
Among political unrest, a life-altering pandemic, and an apparent redefining of our society on many levels, we have all had many occasions to feel anxious. Indeed, anxiety is one of the most-primal human emotions we can ever experience.
All the way back to the Garden of Eden we see that overthinking, worry, and a desire to “fix” the problem led to Adam and Eve’s mortality.
So, in the midst of so many changes and potential concerns, it’s only natural that we would feel anxiety.
So, what is anxiety, anyway? Simply put, it’s a feeling of fear, dread, or unease. More specifically, it’s a feeling that is very rarely rooted in the present moment.
Often, if we feel anxious it’s because we are worried about what may happen in the future.
We imagine a possibility that hasn’t happened, may never happen, but might happen, and fill our present life with the fear of this imagined moment.
So, what is God’s recommended cure for this anxiety?
To be present with God in this moment.
We are instructed in the above scripture to pray and offer thanks whenever we are feeling anxious. By praying, we remind ourselves that we are here and now, not in the imagined future that we have created in our minds.
By offering thanks, we remind ourselves that God has never failed to care for us, and we have no reason to think he will fail us now.
To step outside of our own mind, to walk away from the frightful thoughts of imagined future fears, and live in the present moment with God, is to find the peace of God.
Jason Shockley is an evangelist and teacher passionate about uplifting others through the word of God.