Herein lies the solution and the solution reveals the problem. Disquiet in soul, leading to contention with others and absence of rejoicing, which themselves indicate movement away from steadfastness in the LORD, quite often stems from taking troubles and anxieties upon oneself rather than entrusting them to the LORD.
Consider your primary, automatic, instinctive response to worrisome circumstances. What comes first out of your mouth, which merely speaks for the heart and mind? Complaint. Frustration. Anger. Or, does your heart and mind, carried along by the Spirit of God, direct you to prayer with God? A conversation wherein you offload concerns and requests to God in an attitude of thanksgiving.
I appreciate Paul’s particular injunction to offer prayer with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving aligns our prayers with righteousness and protects us from using God to validate our complaint. Thanksgiving aids us in effectively offloading our concerns to God by preventing us from deluding ourselves into thinking we authentically engaged with God, when in reality, we kept our minds and hearts focused on the problem. Try to pray with a truly biblical heart and thanksgiving and come away from that prayer still embittered against the problem.
Those who truly pray to the living God in thanksgiving, passing on the problems to the LORD receive a promise.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you retain the right to outrage or anxiety, peace will remain absent. However, if you put off anxiety, by letting your requests and supplications in all thanksgiving be known to God, the very peace of God, incomprehensible, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
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