Start Your Day with Peace: A Gentle Bible Reflection

there's a particular kind of anxiety that can meet you first thing in the morning a worry about the day ahead a problem from yesterday that's still sitting there in our last conversation we talked about finding a sense of peace and purpose no matter what comes today's reading gives us a very direct path to that peace it comes from paul's letter to the church in philippi listen to these words do not be anxious about anything but in every situation i prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to god and the peace of god which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in christ jesus that first line

can be hard to hear do not be anxious about anything it can sound like a command to just stop feeling to simply will your worries away but that's not what this is it's not a dismissal of your feelings it's an invitation to do something with them the verse doesn't just say don't worry it says don't worry do this instead it gives us a new direction for all that anxious energy and notice how complete it is in every situation not just the big life altering crises it means the traffic jam when you're already late the difficult conversation you have to have the bill you're not sure how you'll pay the health of someone you love everything

nothing is too small or too large to be brought to god the instruction is to bring it through prayer and petition with thanksgiving let's sit with that for a moment prayer is the conversation petition is the specific asking god i need help with this god please provide for that it's honest and direct but the secret ingredient the one that changes everything is with thanksgiving gratitude shifts your perspective when you bring your worries to god and you intentionally pair them with gratitude you're reminding your own heart that even in the middle of the struggle god is still good even when things are uncertain there are still blessings to be counted it stops anxiety from having the

final word it reframes the entire conversation and what's the result of this exchange you give god your anxiety your petitions your thanksgiving and what does he give you the peace of god which transcends all understanding this is not a peace that you have to manufacture it's not a pull yourself up by your bootstraps kind of calm it is a gift it's his piece and it transcends understanding that means it doesn't have to make sense you can have this piece even when the problem is still there you can have this peace when your circumstances haven't changed at all it's a peace that exists on a different level than your problems and look at what this peace does it will guard your hearts and your minds

imagine a sentry a soldier standing guard at the gate of a city protecting it from attack that is the image here god's own peace stands guard over your heart your emotions your feelings and your mind your thoughts your focus it keeps the chaos of the world from overwhelming your inner world it protects you from being consumed by worry so today as you look at the hours ahead you have an open invitation you don't have to carry the weight of your worries alone the instruction is clear the promise is even clearer take every anxious thought every specific need and bring it to him wrap it in gratitude even if it feels small hand it over

and then wait watch for the peace that comes the peace that doesn't make sense the peace that will stand guard over you that peace is not the absence of trouble it is the presence of god right in the middle of it