Is Your Heart Troubled?

Craig Conaway
Jul 30, 2017 · 3 min read

Is there anything troubling your heart? Are you anxious or worried about something? Is there something you are fearing?

If so, God invites you to experience peace in your life — not the peace that the world offers, but the peace of God Himself.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7)

Think about this, how much peace is God experiencing right now in Heaven? God is at complete peace. He is not in Heaven freaked out about anything. He is not saying, “Jesus and Holy Spirit, get over here! Look what is happening on the earth. What in the world are we going to do?”

No, God has total peace. That is the same peace He wants you to be part of your life.

Some reflections from Philippians 4:6–7:

  1. God does not want us to be anxious, worried, or negatively concerned about anything in our lives. 0% worry and 100% peace is His will for you!
  2. Rather than wasting time (minutes, hours, and days) on anxious thoughts and spending emotional energy on worry, we need to bring everything to our Father in prayer.
  3. Prayer should be our first and automatic response to every circumstance of life.
  4. Some things in life require prayer (taking our petitions and requests to God); some things require supplication (urgent and earnest pleas to God).
  5. We must not neglect thanksgiving. I am really good about praying and pleading with God about the concerns of my heart, but I do not cultivate a thankful heart very often in my challenging circumstances. If I leave out this vital component, I will not experience the promise of this verse.
  6. God wants us to experience His peace! It is His gift to us. Jesus stated this also, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27).
  7. Our hearts and minds do not need to be assaulted with worry and fear. God’s peace will watch over and protect them when we obey His word.
  8. We also need to obey what Paul said prior to not being anxious about anything — “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (4:4)
  9. When we choose continuous joy, take everything to God in prayer, and walk with hearts full of gratitude, then anxiety, worry, and fear are defeated with the very peace of God in our lives.

What an awesome Father we have! He extends to you this awesome invitation today: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV84)

Peace and peace and live courageously today!

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