I'll be honest. I started out to blog about only verse 6. But before I blog about a single verse, I always read for context. Context is everything, especially in regards to scripture. So when I looked at the whole chapter, I asked myself, "How do I blog about just the one verse? There's too much here to ignore." Even as I type these words, there's no title for this blog. Hopefully, we'll get there.
I think every Christian in the world knows all of these verses. But we tend to think of them as individual exhortations. Rejoice in the Lord. Do not be anxious in anything. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.
Far be it from me, a lowly writer, to criticize any of these Spirit-inspired phrases. And I'm not. Trust me. I love every one of these verses and phrases, and remember, my original plan was only verse 6. But go back up to the top and read that whole passage again. Because when read as a whole, wow!
They're all woven together. Rejoice, because God is near, and there's no reason to be anxious, and if you do feel anxious, pray and give those worries to Him--and don't forget to thank Him for the blessings He's already given you--and in the end, the peace that can only come from God will guard your heart. And again, I say rejoice.
See? But I do want to focus for the last few seconds on verse 6. Do not be anxious in anything. Pray about everything. If you don't get anything else, get that.
God is bigger than your worries and anxieties. He will take them if you hand them over to Him. And he'll do a much better job of handling them than you or I could.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
- What worries have I been wrestling with, and how can I turn those over to God?
- Take some time to compare your blessings to your worries. I'm betting you'll have more blessings, but if not, really work at (and pray about) letting God handle those concerns.
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