Worrying Won't Get Your Anywhere

“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 minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

With everything we as human beings are juggling in our day-to-day lives, there is plenty to be anxious about. We worry about our family, our friends, our job, our finances, our health, and all kinds of other things. But Scripture is very clear that anxiousness and worry are two things we should flee from.

Choosing to refrain from worrying is not an option, but rather a biblical command Paul states in his letter to the Philippians. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). But he doesn’t stop there. He continues on, encouraging the Philippians then and us today to bring everything we’re worried about to God.

It’s important not to miss what Paul is saying will happen when we present our worries and requests to the Lord. He doesn’t say that God will answer our prayers exactly how we want Him to. He doesn’t say we’ll always get our way. He doesn’t say the answers will come in the timing we hoped they would come. He doesn’t promise any of that. Instead, he assures us we will experience a deep level of peace that only the Lord can provide. He says, “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 minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

In other words, we don’t need to worry about anything because worrying doesn’t get you anywhere. When something out of our control is tempting us to worry, we must choose to instead bring our anxieties and our requests to our Heavenly Father. Only then will we experience true, supernatural peace in the midst of our worldly troubles.