A meditation on Philippians 4:6-7

The Apostle Paul gave this command to the Philippian believers that he loved dearly. “Be anxious for nothing…” We could reframe it “don’t worry about anything.” This would be really cruel of Paul if it was simply a command to “stop it!” But as is always the case, God’s Word helps us a way to change our thinking, renewing our minds by replacing those thoughts of worry with prayer.

This passage commands us to not be anxious about anything, and to violate this command is to sin. We must start by accepting this fact. Jesus Himself backs this up in His sermon on the mount. In Matthew 6:25, He told his audience to take no thought for their lives (not to worry about them). Later in the passage, He told asked, “Shall he not much more cloth you, O ye of little faith?” (Matt. 6:30). Anxiety is a sinful response to stress.

In a world that tells us to cope, to accept that we’ll always be anxious, this command says otherwise. There will always be stressors, but that doesn’t have to lead to anxiety, because according to the testimony of Scripture, to be anxious is a sin issue.

Over the years, I’ve meditated on this verse often, and I’ve used it to remind myself that my anxiety is a sinful response to the struggles of my life, but it wasn’t until recently that I asked myself the question, “Why is anxiety sinful?” The answer has changed how I think about this.

At its root, anxiety is a lack of trust in God. Something comes up in my life—a tough responsibility to fulfill, a difficult situation with a friend, physical failings of my body, or some other stressor—and I must give it over to God and entrust it to Him. After all, Psalm 55:22 tells me to cast my burden on the LORD, and He will sustain me. But often I don’t trust God to take care of my circumstances, either because I don’t believe He is able, or I doubt that He is willing to do what I want Him to do.

So what is my response? I take the burden off God’s shoulders, where it should be, and place it on my own. What is the result of me bearing my own burden? It’s not greater comfort. There isn’t more resolution. The result is anxiety, because I’m not capable of bearing all the burdens of life on my own shoulders. I get anxious because I’m not willing to trust God with the stressors of life.

Once you grasp that anxiety is sinful because it is a faithless way to view your burdens, you will be ready to renew your mind. Philippians 4:6-7 give the remedy for anxiety—prayer. “Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” This is the faith-filled response. Go to your ever-capable, ever-caring, ever-wise God in prayer. Rather than attempting to suppress worry, the text encourages its redirection it to God in this prayer. He describes prayer in the following ways:

• Adoration—The word for “prayer” in this passage is a worshipful term. Come to God and acknowledge whose throne-room you are entering. Call Him by names He’s revealed to you in Scripture. Acknowledge His character. You’re coming to a King!
• Supplication—Bring to God your raw, heart-felt concerns. He rejoices to hear you share these things! Overwhelm the depth of emotion you feel over your stress with an overwhelming passion for the God whom you pray to. Combat your stressful burdens with a surpassing prayer to God.
• Thanksgiving—This verse specifically says to pray “with thanksgiving,” meaning that, the entire time you pray, it must be interwoven with thanksgiving. “Lord, I come to you as the God of grace, and I thank you for your grace shown in my life. I passionately bring this need to you, and I praise you that you hear me and rejoicing to answer my prayers…” Your passionate prayers should be saturated with thanksgiving to the wonderful God who you’re addressing.
• Petition (honest, detailed requests)—Bring those request to God. He wants to hear them.

What occurs when I take my sinful anxiety and combat it with prayer? The God of peace gives an amazing promise for us—”The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” God takes the anxiety that dominates your soul and replaces it with utter peace! And it’s not a flimsy, ever-changing peace. It’s like a Roman soldier guarding your thoughts and emotions. This peace will dominate and protect “your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” It’s a peace so incredible that you’ll have a hard time describing it to others, but there is no doubt that it is there.

In a world saturated with stress, you are not without hope. Anxiety does not have to dominate your life. Come to God. Confess your anxious responses. Trust His care and sovereign control. Replace sinful worry with thankful, dependent prayer.

And do not be surprised when God meets you there—with peace that holds fast, even in the midst of your wrestling.