“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
http://bible.com/72/php.4.6-7.hcsb

Don’t worry. Don’t you hate it when you are worried about something major and someone simply says “don’t worry”? Easier said than done, right?

I used to be a chronic worrier. The “what ifs” would plague me day and night when I was facing a tough problem. I would find myself unable to sleep worrying that the worst case scenario would be my ultimate fate. I remember thinking about that Bible verse about having this peace that passes all understanding. I remember thinking “I really need that!”. So I looked up that verse.

When I read “Don’t worry about anything”, I thought “and just how am I supposed to do that?”.  So I kept reading. In everything, even your worst problems, pray and be thankful? Be thankful when someone is persecuting you? Be thankful when the devil has launched a major attack on you and your loved ones by a family member? Be thankful when you have lost a loved one? Be thankful when you face financial problems? The answer to all these questions is yes! Sounds crazy, right?

That’s what I thought, but then I decided to give it a try. I got down on my knees and I thanked God for the turmoil that I was facing in my life. I thanked God in advance for working it out for me.

Once I did this, I began to see where God had already been working. Several things that I had thought were tragic events were actually setting things up for my good. God promises us in Romans 8:28 that “all things work for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose”.

Did I love the Lord? Check. Was I called according to his purpose? Check, I was doing the work I felt He had called me to do. This is when I realized that if I kept loving Him and doing what He called me to do, that he would work all this chaos in my life out for my good.

I also realized that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. So I’ve learned to thank God for the troubles in my life that have made me stronger in the faith.  I have also learned that when I face difficult times, I need to focus on God and all the good that He has done in my life. I think about the hard times he has brought me through and let Him handle what lies ahead.

So if you are troubled and plagued by the “what ifs”, remember to be thankful for this period of learning. Give these problems to God. So as you go through this day, you can not worry but feel the peace that passes all understanding. Have a great, worry free, peaceful day!