The Path to Perfect Peace – Trust in Turmoil: With Thanksgiving

Key Verse

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Short Reflection

When’s the last time your emotions and feelings went from anxiety to thanksgiving? If you’re like me, it’s been a while! We generally don’t associate thanksgiving as related in the least with anxiety.

Paul knew that. That’s why he started with telling the Philippians not to be anxious about anything! Now THAT would be something to be thankful about. So how do we get to this anxiety-free, worry-free state?

It all comes back to God.

Paul tells folks in this passage to present their requests to God. Present my requests to the One who created this universe and holds it in the palm of His hand? I could be thankful about that.

In Isaiah we read that perfect peace comes to those who keep their minds and thoughts fixed on God. Move my mind from things I often don’t have control over to the One who is omnipotent and omniscient? I could be thankful for that as well.

So how do you get to a state of thanksgiving rather than anxiety? Think about God. Talk to Him. Draw nigh to Him. Walk humbly with Him. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

This is the fourth in the “Trust in Turmoil” series of blog posts.