This week I was talking with one of the guys I mentor who was dealing with some anxiety.
Though he couldn’t pin point the cause of the anxiety, he was overwhelmed and distraught. While praying with him, Philippians 4 came to mind.
Paul, in the midst of being prisoned and beaten, writes:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your considerate spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4–7).
Amidst great trials and difficulty, Paul exhorts his readers to “rejoice” to “be anxious for nothing” and to allow the peace of God to guard one’s life.
The word for “guard” gives the picture of an army that surrounds a city to protect it. Similarly, Jesus, who IS our peace (see Ephesians 2:14), desires to be the sentinel of your soul—guarding your heart and mind.
As I reminded my friend, we CAN rejoice, be anxious for nothing, and experience the peace of God in EVERY circumstance because “the Lord is near” and He Himself will be the guard about your hearts and minds.
In a world filled with turmoil, war, political and economic craziness, etc., we can stand firmly grounded on Christ, immovable, and live in such a way that we don’t have to give in to fear, anxiety, or fretting.
Whatever you are facing today, will you allow Jesus to be your peace and to guard your heart and mind?
Know I am praying for you and cheering you ever deeper into Christ!
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