Day 33
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
Freda, do not allow your heart to become anxious about anything, but in every situation you will face in this life, by prayer and petition, and with a heart full of thanksgiving, present Freda’s requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard Freda’s heart and Freda’s mind in Christ Jesus.
Lord, I thank you for the reminder of this Word in my life today. It is so easy to allow the circumstances of my life to overwhelm my heart, but you have reminded me that there is no need for anxiety regardless of what is unfolding in my life. I bring my every situation to you. I bring my petition to you and I do it knowing you are really enough for every lack in my heart. I thank you for your unwavering love for me. I ask now that your peace, not the peace that the world gives, nor the peace that is false and temporal, but your peace which surpasses all understanding, I ask for that peace in my life and in my heart. May your peace guard my heart today and my mind by the power of Christ in me. Your presence sustains and keeps my heart in every moment.
This passage can be one so easy to quote, but so challenging to apply in our every moment. The truth is there are times when my heart is anxious. Circumstances can alter my perspective at times and I can lose sight of Truth in those moments. However, I am so grateful that God is merciful and even when I stumble through this being worked in my life, He does not give up. He continually reminds my heart that if I lean into Him and allow Truth to prevail even in these hard to deal with moments, that I can remain in peace. I can live outside of the realm of an anxious led life. He has made available everything I need to have a heart and mind led by peace. A key in this verse is “with thanksgiving”. If I live a life of thanksgiving, and trust in God, as I offer my petitions to God and seek his face, I can rest in assurance that He is working in my life and circumstances. So, I need not be anxious.
Comments(5)
Karen says:
February 6, 2014 at 9:14 amApplication
P ray. Pray. Pray.
E xamine how I deal with the anxious times.
A ccept Christ’s protections around my heart and mind.
C onsider the path of thanksgiving when making requests to God.
E mbrace His peace.
Sue says:
February 6, 2014 at 10:28 pmKaren, I absolutely love your acrostics. You said it all perfectly in 5 lines. You are a gifted lady! 🙂
Sue says:
February 6, 2014 at 7:26 pmPersonalized:
Sue, settle down! Don’t be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to me … God. And My peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in my Son, Christ Jesus.
I added the phrase ‘settle down’ because that is exactly what this verse allows me to do if applied … settle my mind down, settle my heart down, settle my soul down. There is nothing happening to or around me that God has not already seen or known about. There is no situation in which He hasn’t already seen the last act and curtain call. He already has the perfect plan worked out with the perfect ending. The only thing that can mess it up is me … my lack of faith/trust … and I often do. But, He brings this scripture back to me time after time. In spite of my efforts at trying to do God’s job for Him, He is still there saying”trust Me”. He wants me to talk to Him, share my heart with His and thankfully give Him the desires of my heart. What does He give in exchange … peace. But not the temporary, fleeting peace that this world gives. His peace is goes beyond what our minds can imagine.
It is interesting that God’s peace has the purpose of guarding our hearts and minds. The good news (gospel) of peace is part of our Spiritual armour but it is fitted for the feet (and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace) and yet God says here that it will guard our hearts and minds. This indicates to me that His peace permeates the whole body … head to toe. If I can/will bring myself to a place of trusting Him I have a picture of being immersed in His peace … relaxed, soaking in Christ Jesus’ presence.
The elements of 2 Chronicles 7:14 are also foremost in this scripture. Thanksgiving and trust speak of humility. Prayer and petition = pray and seek His face. Present my requests to God = turn from my evil, self-centered ways of trying to do it myself, foolishly trusting myself. When I humble myself, pray, seek and turn He will act .. He will heal … He will give peace that transcends all understanding.
Thank You Father for Your Peace. Thank You for the privilege of being able to present my worries and requests to You. It is only through the sacrifice of Christ that I can do this and it is His peace that I receive in return. This is amazing Father. I give my concerns to You and then You send my big brother, Jesus out to take care of them … to fight my battles, subdue my enemy. Even more so, You remind me that He has already done this on the cross. I need only to tap into that knowledge and I am flooded with the peace that Christ left behind.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Susan Craig says:
February 7, 2014 at 4:43 amLord you have promised to keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on you-because we trust in you Lord. Praying tonight for peace in my own heart,mind and life. I confess to being an anxious person with lots of worries and concerns-you know them all and how they keep me from feeling your peace in my life. You are my peace Lord- and in your name I say to the storms of life that produce fear in me to be still and calm. Calm my anxious heart and mind so that I can focus on all the blessings you have provided for me. Thanking you for your promise to hear and answer the earnest prayers of your children. Thank you that you do not tire of my constant prayers for victory in this particular battle. Help me to know and trust that you are my provider-that you hold me always in your hands-that you will never leave or forsake me and that I can always count on you to be at my side providing the will and ability to say no to fear and yes to your peace. I choose this night to stand on your promises and thank you for the peace that I know you are eager to supply for me. I drop my concerns/worries and fears at your feet and ask for your strength to not pick them back up again. I leave them with you Lord! Thank You.
Pat McRae says:
February 7, 2014 at 8:17 pmPat, don’t be worried, but wherever you find yourself, in whatever situation or circumstance remember this: It is through prayer and asking with a thankful heart you can come to Me. And when you turn from worry to Me you will find My peace, a peace that will strengthen your heart and clear your mind, Christ’s peace, peace that is not understood.
Thank You Father for this wonderful scripture. You know how often I have stood on it and found that peace which surely passes my understanding.
Holy Spirit help me the next time worry comes to flirt with me that I don’t want to flirt back. Remind me that my peace is not found in the world’s ways or friends suggestions but only with my Daddy.
Thank You Lord for opening the doors to the throne room wide so I can run in, salute the guards at the door with a smile and go climb up on my Daddy’s knee. Oh what joy, peace and love I find in that wonderful place.