Overview of: PhilippiansToday's Reading:
Philippians 3:1 – 4:23
"Focus and Faithfulness"
Focus Verses: Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Insight:
It's not hard to be stressed out. Life is filled with burdens and problems that can lead to worry and fear. Rather than being consumed with anxiety, Paul advises prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. Worry and stress accomplish nothing, but lifting up my needs to God in a spirit praise and thanksgiving accomplishes something positive. There is a peace only God can give, and only those who cast their anxieties upon the Lord experience that peace in their hearts and minds.
Response and Action:
Instead of letting the concerns and difficulties of life fill me with anxiety, I will let them motivate me toward prayer. I will make my needs and concerns known to God, trusting that he will provide and care for me. As I pray, I will praise God for his goodness and thank him for all the ways he has blessed me.
O Lord, you are gracious and righteous and full of compassion. I know you see my needs and hear my prayers. Guard my heart and mind with the peace of Christ. When I am stressed, give me rest as I trust in you. Amen.
Old Testament for Today: Psalm 94:18-19
18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. 19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
In Context: Psalm 94
Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:3
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."
Recommended Reading:
Living Peacefully in a Stressful World: A Stategy for Replacing Stress With Peace
by Ronald Hutchcraft and Ray C. Stedman
