TRUE PEACE
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
How would you like to have peace guarding your heart and mind?
I get this mental picture of a giant named “Peace of God” standing guard over my emotions and thoughts. Every time anxiety, fear, or stress try to invade my emotions and/or thoughts this giant pulls out a big sword and chops the anxiety, fear, or stress in two so it can’t enter my emotions and/or thoughts.
The key to this kind of protection seems to be learning to trade worry for prayer and praise. God’s plan of peace protection begins when we choose to tell God everything we need in prayer and combine our prayers with praise for what He has already done.
I am told that neuroscience has discovered that having an attitude of gratitude reduces our worry, fear, and anxiety. When we choose to focus on things, we can be thankful for, we actually close the door to worry, fear, and anxiety.
Maybe when Paul was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he penned words that took mankind a couple of thousand years to discover as truth. Man can’t worry and be thankful at the same time.
When we learn to practice sharing our needs daily with God through prayer and at the same time thanking God for prayers He has already answered, we are rewiring our emotions and thoughts to remove worry, fear, and anxiety.
The Holy Spirit actually becomes the “peace of God” to protect our emotions and thoughts.
What are you worried about? What causes your fear or anxiety?
Now, what can you thank God for doing in your life? What do you have to be thankful for?
How about taking a few moments to tell God thanks for what He has already done in your life? Then take a few moments to ask God for areas where you need some help.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit I am thankful for Your presence in my life. Thanks for giving me mercy and grace. Thanks for my health. Thanks for my family. Thanks for _________________. Today I ask for Your help in __________________________.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”