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Grace takes you from where you are to where God wants you to be in life. He is a God who is good, who wants you to see good days in life, as you pursue peace in His ways, His procedure, for godly blessings come only in godly ways. Whoever would love life and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. [1 Peter 3:10,11]
And the God of peace is with you :
Peace, defined in the word of God, is wholeness in you, in the person of Jesus Christ. And, it does not involve a tedious search in order to find it, for as scripture declares simply and very clearly, in words that cannot be misunderstood. The God of peace be with you all. Amen. [Romans 15:33] And the realization of this truth liberates you to experience His peace, as you abide in Him, walking in His ways. The peace giving God is with you. He is as near to you as His word in your heart, and in the confession of your mouth. His words are spirit and they are life. And when you become His child, as you receive Christ into your heart, as your personal Savior, His Spirit comes in you to live in you forever. Therefore, He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.
Experiencing the peace of God :
How the peace of God becomes your experience in your everyday life as it overcomes all the hindrances in the way of it, is laid out in the word of God, in Paul’s letter to the Philippians as he counsels them . Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests unto God. And the peace of God that is beyond all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6,7] Do not be worried or fret over things is the counsel of God to you and I, in the words of the apostle Paul.
But, Paul did not have to face all the problems, the troubles that I am going through, you may say. But then, it is the word of God to you, not just what Paul is prescribing. To which, once again you can counter argue saying, that you are not God; you are a mere mortal with your own limitations. But, overriding it all is the truth that God never asks you to do, what He has not already done, and empowered you to do. It is possible for you therefore, in Christ, and through Christ who strengthens you, not to be filled with anxiety or worry.
Defining and describing ‘worry’ :
It begins as a concern, that could be a very genuine one; for everyone as they live in this world, has something or the other going on in their lives, or in the lives of their loved ones that could be making them anxious and disturbing their peace. It is the practical reality of living in a fallen and imperfect world. You could be going through a genuinely troubling situation right now, one that makes you think, ‘What am I going to do ?, How am I going to manage this crisis or problem ?’ And when this thought process lingers in your mind, it will become a stronghold of fear that needs to be overcome and demolished with the spiritual weapons that God has already given you.
For, fear when it is tolerated can lead you then to a position like what was Job’s, as he declared, ‘What I feared has come upon me’. But Job’s confession need not be yours. It is a warning, showing how fear in you can hinder God’s good purposes from being fulfilled in your life.
The anxiety of pain :
Job was engulfed by fear; the prophet Jeremiah on the other hand was overwhelmed by sorrow, to be called the weeping prophet ! His words are recorded as a book in the Bible that is aptly titled ‘Lamentations’ ! It is about all things going wrong in a person’s life, and what can happen within him as he keeps remembering it.I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is bowed down within me’. [Lamentations 3:19,20]
The misery and the pathos of his words powerfully capture the sorrow in his soul. It shows how the Bible is a very honest record of all things, including all the problems that people went through. It is the narrative of the lives of ordinary people, and an extraordinary God ! And, they are all written so that you and I can get insight and understanding to overcome our own problems. And it has to be noted that the book of Lamentations has only five chapters, while the book of psalms has one hundred and fifty of it. It establishes the joyful truth that the time of your weeping is limited; and God can turn your mourning into joy !
How worry operates in you :
When you worry, you are talking about your problem to yourself. And it can never bring about a change for the better in you. In fact, it can do the very opposite, to make a mountain out of a molehill as the saying goes. The Lord describes this process with clarity. ‘So do not worry saying, ’What shall we eat, or drink or wear’ [Matthew 6:31] You worry ‘saying’, is how the Lord describes the process of worrying. And, you will realize that it is so very true. For, even in the midst of a crowd, you could be talking to yourself about your problem, which is nothing but worrying over it, at the seemingly hopeless nature of it.
The Lord does not describe worry and stop with it though. His word also teaches you and more importantly empowers you to deal with worry and get rid of it. And also, it is a practical principle that comes from His mouth, not necessarily to be limited to the literal content of it. For, in today’ s society, having enjoyed God’s abundant grace, for some people ‘what to wear ‘and ‘what to eat’, becomes a problem because they have so much to choose from ! But, whatever may be the painful problem that is causing you to worry, leading to anxiety in you, it is by your confession that you confirm it. And, the fact that it is already there in your heart, also comes to light, for it is out of the fullness of the heart that the mouth speaks.
It is why when a person speaks something hurtful to you, and then tries to make light of it by saying, ‘it was a slip of the tongue’, or ‘it was only spoken in jest’, it is definitely not true; for it is there within the person, and somehow in some manner it expresses itself ! And, Lord Jesus nails it on the head when he says, ‘Do not worry by saying’, to show that the troubling thought that is already inside you, needs to be dealt with, in order to not be anxious. And it all begins by looking into what actually happens when you are worrying over a problem.
You are at the centre of it all :
When you worry, it finds your own self at the centre of all that is happening that is causing you to be disturbed and anxious. It is all about you, in the sense that, you are continuously wondering how you are, in your own strength, with your own resources, going to cope with, or manage the circumstance that you find yourself in. It is then, a circle with your stance at the centre that becomes your circumstance !
Sometimes people on entering a crowded hall or place of worship, choose to sit at the edges or sides, from which they can exit quickly when the program or worship concludes. But when you worry, you are choosing to place yourself right in the centre of the place. And your mind may go in circles, pondering various options, but it will all ultimately come back to your own self, and how you are going to manage the situation. It would be very much like a self addressed envelope that you post; it has to come back to you ! You are addressing the situation to yourself, and your thinking is centered on yourself to the exclusion of everything and everyone else; and it is why your problem gets bigger and bigger.
The core issue is that, you are unable to break the vicious cycle, stop the worrying thought from coming back to you again and again. And, the solution to it does not lie in the realm of psychology; it is in Christology, in the person of Jesus Christ, and all that He has already accomplished on your behalf, and is still doing on your behalf, seated at the right Hand of the Father, where you are seated together with Him in the heavenly realms.
The solution ; – Inviting God into your problem :
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests unto God. [Philippians 4:6] Let petitions and praise shape your worry into prayer, says a version of this verse of scripture; it is the path laid out by God in order to see worry depart and experience His peace in your life. It is a shifting of your focus to be upon God. Change begins to happen when you invite God into your situation, into your circle. And taking it deeper, it is the realization that He is already there, that His presence is with you.
Acknowledging His presence :
Acknowledging that the God of Peace is already with you, is the truth that you and I need to be reminded of in our lives. And, the realization of the truth that He is with you till the end of the age, that He will never leave or forsake you, often happens when you go through a problem, or encounter a huge challenge. It was when Joshua had to take up the mantle of Moses, to lead the people of Israel into the land of promise that the Lord God Almighty assured him of His presence.
It was so that Joshua may be strong and courageous, and not become anxious about the path that lay ahead of him. ‘Fear not, for I am with you’, the Lord then said to him. [Joshua 1:5] And prayer is when, though you are still talking about your concerns, your attention and focus is upon God. It is then no longer self addressed to dwindle into meaningless vanity.
Not vanity but value :
King Solomon, who was blessed with the wisdom of God to begin with, sadly, chose to wander away from the ways of God in his later years, and found life to be meaningless and futile, as a consequence of it. And the Bible, scrupulously honest as it is, records Solomon’s meandering thoughts in the book of Ecclesiastes. It has dark and gloomy shades to it, when everything to him, though he possessed an abundance of everything that the world could offer, all appeared meaningless and empty. ‘Vanity, vanity, all is vanity’, became the confession of his mouth, regarding all things under the sun.
But, in the midst of it all, light breaks through in his soul, whenever he chooses to shift his focus and look at life with God at the centre of it all. It is then that he realizes the truth that with God everything has value. In your life too, it remains the same; and even the mistakes that you make become valuable, for you learn godly insights and lessons from them, as you repent and turn to God. It all builds up also, to the truth regarding getting rid of worry in you.
Christ at the center of your life :
Your problem changes when you are connected to God. And in this context, acknowledging God’s presence brings a different dimension to your connection with God in prayer. And the difference needs to be appreciated. The psalmist David says in the familiar psalm, Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me’. [Psalm 23:4] And he also goes on to say in another psalm, ‘Yet, I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand’. [Psalm 73:23] When you are able to declare these words of the psalmist to be your personal experience too, you are acknowledging that God is already there in your life, and in your prayer.
Putting it in simple terms, in order to get rid of worry , your center needs to change, from your ‘self’ being the center of it all, to Christ being the center, having pre eminence in your life. It will see you enjoying days of rest and peace in your life, in all the relationships that you cherish and value in your life, especially in your relationship with your spouse and children. And, God’s word counsels you to pray without being anxious.
Do not be anxious, but pray :
It is the counsel of God, and may seem a little incongruous, initially. While, ‘if you are anxious, pray,’ would be easier to understand. It is like the doctor asking you not to be tense, when you are seated before him, needing a remedy for your tenseness ! But the apostle Paul has experienced it in his life, to know that it is possible to pray without being anxious. And therefore, it is what he advocates.
1. You are grateful :
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.[Philippians 1:3,4] When you are grateful, you can never grumble ! The apostle Paul here is writing to a congregation, the church at Philippi, and in the church, or anywhere else, there are always some troublesome people. And, it is not that easy, in fact it may seem impossible to pray with joy concerning them. Even in your family, it could be your own children who are not walking in the ways of the Lord, making it very difficult for you to pray with joy concerning them.
2. Praying with joy :
How does this then become possible, when the situation is one which troubles and worries you ? It is in the confidence that, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion, until the day of Christ Jesus. [Philippians 1:6] When what you have asked for in your prayer has not yet been manifested in your life, and time relentlessly marches on, it can lead to anxiety, unless your focus is upon God, who is the Alpha and Omega. And, it is in knowing that the God who is good, begins only what is a good work, and what He begins He will surely carry through to completion, that you can pray with joy.
Whom He calls, He proceeds to justify and glorify. There can be no mishaps in between. Such is the good God who has determined your destiny. You could not have been in safer hands, or made a better choice, if it was left to you to decide. Therefore, now you can lift up your hands joyfully in sweet surrender, knowing who your God is, as you go to Him in prayer. There may be a hundred things that are wrong in you right now, but you can be assured that He who began the good work in you will carry it on to completion, to present you spotless, blameless and wrinkle free before God the Father. He knows your pain and tears; but your problem is temporary, and your blessing is permanent ! Therefore…..
Worry about nothing, but pray about everything :
Everyone has reasons to worry; but still you can pray with joy, for prayer is not about you. Worry is self centered, but prayer is God centered. And when He is the center, He demonstrates His power and glory, in your life and in your situation. It is how your sorrow turns into joy.
To believe, ask and receive :
This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him. [1 John 5:14] The truth so simple, that comes through, as you reflect on the verse above is that, the moment you have asked of God, is also the moment you have received from Him. It is the confidence you have to be able to go to Him in prayer, without being anxious.
Getting rid of worry, and not being anxious therefore, involves just one simple step; it is you moving away from being the center, and allowing God to be the center of your circumstance. And, in prayer connected to Him, in thanksgiving and joy, you will experience the peace from God, the wholeness that will settle you down in your situation.
The nature of God’s peace, that is beyond all understanding :
And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:7]
It is 1. Tranquility in your soul :
The world may give you stress, but God when He is the centre of your life, gives you rest in your soul, no matter what your situation may be. He is your Father; and He calms your heart as you go to Him, run into His loving arms in your pain. When your child comes sobbing its heart out in its pain, the first thing you do, even as a human parent, is to hug the child, to soothe and calm the child in tenderness and love. How much more will your Heavenly Father do the same for you ? !
He begins to heal you by calming and comforting you with His love. The very presence of the peace giving God will heal you. He knows it all, even before you go to Him in prayer. And, He quiets you with His love, before asking, ‘What is wrong, my precious child ?’. And then when you can say to Him, ‘As long as you are there Lord, there is no problem’, it is the highest form of prayer ! And, He proceeds to soothe you and answer the questions in your troubled heart, as only He can. The very presence of the peace giving God will sort out your problems, giving you the assurance and peace that everything has been already taken care of by Him. No one else can treat you and heal you like Him ! There is no God like our God; and that is why He is God !
2.He deals with your fears :
He calms you to give you peace by dealing with all your fears. It could be an unhealthy, not a reverential fear of God, as you become aware of your past sins. But, the truth of God’s word gives you peace, assuring you that now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
You also need not fear that you will get left behind, when the Lord comes again in all His glory; for He is coming for you ! Everything He does is for a purpose; He is coming to take you to be with Him forever and ever. So, do not fear ! And, the fear of man that may be in you, He removes, for when the peace giving God is your Helper, what can man do to you ? [Hebrews 13:6] He indeed as the psalmist declares, answers you, and delivers you from all your fears. [Psalms 34;4]
3. He gives you contentment :
Even in the midst of the problem, the peace of God gives contentment in your soul, as you rest in the knowledge that He is dealing with it. And, as Paul declares, you can do it all, in Christ, and through Christ who strengthens you. ‘Not being anxious’ becomes possible in and through Christ; even as it leads to His peace guarding you.
You are guarded by His peace :
You need not be anxious or worried, because He is guarding you with His peace. Your responsibility lies in trusting Him in faith. The God of Israel neither slumbers, nor sleeps, that you may sleep without any anxiety or fear. ‘I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone make me dwell in safety’, declares the psalmist with confidence. [Psalm 4:8] It can be your confession too.
Therefore , do not be anxious :
All you need to do is to make God the centre of your circumstance, and not yourself. And the peace of God will guard you; you need not be anxious. He will guard and keep you in perfect peace, as you trust in Him completely, as you acknowledge His presence at the center of your life’s happenings and trust that He will deal with it all. Pray with thankfulness and joy, as you trust that He will contend with those who contend with you and deliver you with His redemptive love; that He will fight your battles.
The battle is the Lord’s :
‘The battle is mine’, says the Lord to you this day, concerning everything that is troubling you. Let Him therefore take pre eminence in your life. It is not about what you are going to do, but what He is going to do in and through you, that is going to change your life.Thank God therefore, and pray with joy unto Him, for He who has begun a good work in your life, will carry it through to completion; and trusting in this truth, may you experience the peace that transcends all understanding.
Let your soul find rest in this, His promise to you, to know His power in quietness and trust; that you may hold your position, to stand firm, and know that He is God, the peace giving God !
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen .
