Our scripture this morning is Philippians 4:4-7.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always”, that God is the source of all good things and true happiness. When we dedicate ourselves to His plan for us, we are living as intended at creation. Being in connection with Him is the only way to experience true joy.
We hear that sharing our concerns with God through prayer can keep us from worry, which saps our energy and doesn’t resolve the issues we face. In 1 Peter 5:7 we are told “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” God knows everything about us, but communicating with Him allows us to release the things that stress us.
In closing Paul gives us the benediction “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. He reminds us that only God can give us real peace, and that by faith we can be saved. Then we can be part of God’s work here, sharing the Good News with all our brothers and sisters.
Gracious God, we are grateful that we can come to you with the things that make us anxious and afraid. Through Your love, we can be made whole and sent to the world in Your name. Amen.