How to practically exchange anxiety for peace.
In Matthew 6:34 Jesus says, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
In Philippians 4:6 Paul writes, “Do not be anxious 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.”
The anxiety battle is almost impossible to explain to someone who has never experienced it. They say things like “Oh don’t be anxious” or “You shouldn’t worry about that”. These comments only dismiss the very real struggle to find peace amid the chaos you feel. More often than not, comments like these only make you more anxious. Anxiety is more than being nervous or stressed. It’s deeper than worry. It’s paralyzing and can become a personal prison if you let it. That’s why I love what Paul writes. He expands on Jesus’ teaching of not being anxious. Jesus says why would you be anxious about things you don’t know? This makes so much sense to my brain, but my nervous system and emotions would beg to disagree. When I read what Paul says I feel like I get an idea of how I can fight this consuming battle with anxiety.
Paul’s Advice to Exchange Anxiety for Peace
- Acknowledge the anxiety and decide to fight against it.
- Prayer-honest, open, vulnerable prayer. This can look like a dialogue with you and God or simply getting in a quiet room with worship music and your Bible listening for him to speak to you
- Supplication and thanksgiving-another word for supplication is petition. This step can look like this-“Lord, I know you have not called me to be anxious. You have not given me a spirit of fear. Please calm my mind and remind me of your goodness and joy. Thank you for who you are. Thank you for all you are doing in my life though it isn’t always clear to me. I love you.”
- Give your worries to the Lord-he is good and already knows the outcome. He desires to hear your frustrations, anxieties, and fears
- LET your requests be made known to God-I LOVE how Paul puts this. You have already acknowledged the feelings and asked the Lord to take them from you. You have thanked him. Now what does your heart desire instead of the anxiety? This causes you to dig deeper and establish the root of this anxiety. “God, I want to exist around others without worrying about if they like me.” “God, I want assurance that my sick family member will go to heaven if they don’t survive this.” “God, I want to know you are taking care of my wayward child when it is out of my control.” God wants you to turn to him. He wants to give you the desires of your heart. He wants to give you all his goodness has to offer. To receive these things from him, you have to open your heart to him. Let him know what it is you want. Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you
- And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus-once you complete all of these steps, He gives you his peace. His peace is a peace that makes no sense. How beautiful: In exchange for anxiety that cannot be rationalized or explained, he gives peace that cannot be rationalized or explained. His peace is peace that withstands the midst of chaos because peace is not the lack of chaos, but the calmness and contentment in the midst of it. Only God can give us that.
Alexanne 
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