Let’s talk about a big issue in our lives: worry.

Several years ago, we went through a pandemic—COVID-19. It caused havoc. In New York City, where I was born and raised, there were anxiety and worry like you couldn’t believe.

Depression. Suicide. People were saying, “Just get me out of this anxiety-filled life. What’s going to happen to my family? What’s going to happen to my job?”

Are there not logical reasons to worry? Yes, there are. But God doesn’t want us to live lives of worry.

God loves us, and He doesn’t want to see His kids worrying. Imagine you’re a parent at your kids’ school day. You sit in the back of the classroom and see your children biting their nails, worried, anxious, acting out, while all the other kids are peaceful. How would you feel? It would crush you.

That’s why God says in His Word, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6, NIV).

Yes, worry has real causes. It would be very cheap to say, “Oh, there’s nothing to worry about.” But God says, “I love you, and I transcend that situation that is causing you worry. Don’t worry about anything, but bring everything to Me.”

And can I give you a news bulletin? God says worry is a sin.

What is a sin? It’s a violation of God’s command: “Don’t kill.” “Don’t commit adultery.” “Don’t lie.” “Don’t hate.” “Don’t worry.” That humbles some of us, because we don’t treat worry that way. We think, “Well, yeah, I’m just worrying.”

I had a friend in college who had a PhD in worry. He could lie on his bed and just worry for an hour. We would joke about it.

“What are you worrying about?” I’d ask.

He’d say, “Leave me alone. Let me worry.”

What does worry change? Nothing. Oh, wait—it does change things. It causes high blood pressure, ulcers, and bad emotional reactions.

So let’s analyze Philippians 4:6.

“By prayer and petition.” In the New Testament “prayer” is a general word for communion with God. It can include worship, or adoration, in it too. “Petition” means telling God exactly what we’re worried about. “Tell Me the problem,” He says. “Voice it to Me.”

“Oh, God knows everything,” someone might say.

Yes, God knows everything, but He tells us, “Ask Me. Tell me specifically about the thing that’s bothering you.”

How often have we not done that? Instead, we call an aunt who lives in Seattle and say, “Oh, Auntie, I can’t handle this.” But we don’t go to the One who says, “I’ll take care of your worry.” We need to go to God with prayer and petition.

“With thanksgiving.” We can’t make our prayers only about what we’re going through. We also need to thank God, as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says: “In everything give thanks” (NKJV).

We’re alive, aren’t we? Did we eat food today? Did we sleep in a bed last night? Are we Christians? Have our sins been washed away? Do we know where we’re going when we die? Isn’t there something we can thank and praise God for? In the good times we should praise His name. In the bad times we should do the same. In everything we should give Him thanks.

Prayer has to be mingled with thanksgiving, or it can get so overwhelming that our prayers will depress us. I’ve been around people who had no thanksgiving or lightness to their spirits. They didn’t see God; all they saw was their problems. Their prayers were like a recital of “Woe is me” with 110 chapters.

God says, “What’s My track record with you? Has it been good? Thank Me for it.”

So the Lord says, “If you do this—come to Me in prayer, petition Me, and thank Me for what I’ve done in the past—here’s what will happen: the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (see Philippians 4:7).

The word for “guard” in the Greek is interesting. It’s like a troop of soldiers called “peace of God” marching around the perimeter of our hearts and minds. Notice: God’s peace, not our peace.

Human peace is “I got a raise; I have peace. Ooh, someone insulted me; I just lost my peace.” But the peace of God transcends circumstances. Come on, can we believe this? We need God’s promised peace guarding our hearts and minds, protecting us.

A lot of people who know their Bibles and love God and are born-again Christians live with anxiety. But we can have the peace of God, or we can have worry. What’s our choice?

“Oh, Pastor, that’s so simplistic.”

Yes, but Jesus says, “You can worry, or you can bring it to Me, and I’ll give you My peace.” Which do we want?

Let’s be confident in the Lord: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6, NIV). God’s got us covered, front and back and on the sides. Let’s praise Him today.

Prayer

Lord, You know what I’m worrying about today. But Your Word says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, NIV). Help me to believe that You’re going to take care of things. Thank You, Lord.

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