Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.
Reading: Philippians 4
Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.
Paul gives us a practical way to respond when anxiety takes hold: pray, ask God specifically for what we need, give thanks, and release the situation to Him. Prayer is more than simply telling God what is bothering us; it is an invitation to exchange our anxiety for His peace. God may not immediately change the circumstance we are facing, but He can change what is happening within us as we trust Him with it. His peace can guard our hearts and minds even when the situation itself remains unresolved.
What concern do you need to stop rehearsing in your mind and start releasing to God through prayer?
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…
- Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).
- Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, teach us to bring our anxious thoughts and concerns to You instead of carrying them around in our minds. Help us ask honestly, give thanks even in difficult circumstances, and then release the outcome to You. Guard our hearts and minds with Your peace. Amen.
- Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.
Faith Step:
Take one specific anxiety and turn it into a written prayer, ending with the words, “Jesus, I give this to You.”