His Calming Presence - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 4
His Calming Presence
By Cindi McMenamin
Bible Reading:
“Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).
It’s been said we are living in the most anxious times on earth. Post pandemic loneliness and a sense of isolation still impact many people, young and old alike. Countless people suffer from depression and anxiety disorders. Mental and emotional health issues are off the charts. Stress is triggering cancer cells in our bodies and adding to our health problems. Many struggle with a sense of identity. Financially, it’s one of the most difficult times to make ends meet. And the U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness a public health crisis with devastating results.
Where is God in all of this?
If you’re like most believers today, you’ll say you know in your head that God is in control, but you have a hard time relying on Him in your day-to-day life. And, what I’ve observed after decades of ministry is that those who can’t bring it from their head to their hearts—from the pages of God’s Word to their daily lives—are also those who admit they need to be in the Word of God and know it much more.
To know God is to know His Word. To know His Word is to know Him. I once heard my mentor author, Elisabeth Elliot, say: “Pray with an open Bible. How can we know what to pray if we aren’t reading God’s Word? And how can we understand God’s Word if we aren’t praying?”
The more you open up His Word (whether it’s in book form or an app on your device), the more He will open your eyes and heart to know who He is and how He can calm your anxious heart.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Philippians 4:6-7 has been a lifeline for me through the years—especially because there is much to worry about…
when you’re contemplating decisions that will impact your future
when you’re seeking a man to marry—or struggling in your marriage
when you’re pregnant—or trying to get pregnant
when you’re caring for a child, parent, or grandparent
when you’re trying to stay afloat financially
when your health—or the health of someone you love—causes fear or frustration
Life is often accompanied by concerns that quickly turn into worries that can develop into fear or anxiety. Yet God’s Word gives us a simple, yet practical, antidote to the type of worry that breeds fear. Philippians 4:6-7 instruct: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (NLT).
The following verse tells us what exactly to focus on. Our worries of what hasn’t yet happened? The things we are anxious to control? The worst possible scenario? No.
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (verse 8, NLT). We are to focus on what is true—or real, not on what we fear will happen. We are to focus on what is “pure, and lovely, and admirable.” Those descriptions sound like God’s characteristics, not our circumstances. As we focus on the here and now, the true and real, and all that God is, “Then the God of peace will be with you” (verse 9 NLT).
Do you really believe that? As you focus on what is true and real and all that is good about God and what He does for His children, peace will replace that worry. I can honestly tell you that every time I pray for something that bothers me or has the potential to, that concern never develops into fear, but instantly dissolves, as I realize God has heard me and He has taken that worrisome burden from me and replaced it with His indescribable peace.
He will do that for you, too. You have only to ask.
Are you wishing you were closer to God than you are right now? Do you long to feel less anxious and more at peace as you trust this capable God with your concerns? Then start now. Open your Bible to Philippians 4:6-9. Pray through it (which means reading it aloud to God as a prayer, inserting your name and situation into the passage), and He will answer. It is a promise. It is a guarantee. And it is your route to rest, freedom, and peace.
Lord, help me not to worry about anything, but to instead pray about everything. You know exactly what I need and I thank You for working through this situation on my behalf. I trust Your promise to give me indescribable peace as I lay my concerns at Your feet and focus on what is real, pure, and admirable, like You.
Further Reading:
Matthew 6:25-33
For more on experiencing God’s calming presence, see Cindi’s book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Ridofranz
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