As I sat down the other morning to pray, I couldn’t help but think about the fundraiser I would be speaking at that evening. I had spoken at similar events in the past; however, as so many of us tend to do, I started to worry. I tried in vain to organize my thoughts and re-focus my attention on God but all I could do was think about my presentation, the banquet, the audience, etc….until finally a verse, one we quote so often, came to mind. The verse was Philippians 4:6 and starts out, “Do not be anxious about anything…” Terrific, now, not only was I worrying about the event, but I started feeling guilty for worrying! What a mess! Thankfully, God is merciful and before I finished reciting the full verse in my mind, I sensed God say to me, “what about verse 4?”
Verse 4? Oh yes, that would be a couple verses before verse 6, right? Verse 4 is a verse I only recently added to my list of memory verses and it says, “Rejoice! I will say it again, Rejoice! The Lord is near!”
Wow, that’s quite a change of perspective. Rather than focusing on the negative: worry, or myself, or what not to do, this verse shifted my attention to the positive: the Lord is near, God is with me, and as a result, what do I do? Rejoice!
That changes everything! Read the verses together,
“Rejoice! I will say it again, Rejoice! The Lord is near!…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…”
When we place God ahead of our anxieties, our problems pale in comparison. Finally, verse 7 offers a promise, a promise of peace and you don’t want to miss it, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Is something concerning you today? Rather than shining the spotlight on the problem, or yourself, or your fears, I’d encourage you to look up, my friend, and Rejoice! The Lord is near!
Shadia Hrichi
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