ANXIOUS

anxious |ˈaNG(k)SHəs|

adjective

1 experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome
Have you ever been anxious? 
Perhaps you have a marriage that is not good, or a child who is a prodigal, or a job that is shaky, or you have just been given a diagnosis for a disease, or you are troubled by the world situation, or you are depressed, or you have a sin issue that you are battling…or a myriad of other what if things that cause us to be anxious because we are unsure of the outcome or the future.
You are not alone. We are all anxious at times but God is so faithful that He gave us an answer to that anxiety .  Listen to the scripture:
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, BUT IN EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
Did you read that?  The peace of God which passes all comprehension.  Peace, in the midst of our trouble, peace that will guard our hearts and minds.  Wow.  I am in constant amazement of the way our Lord takes care of us.  But there is a catch……we must pray with thanksgiving.  What does that mean?  Well for starters it means we go to Him when we are feeling anxious and in the midst of our situation we tell Him how we are feeling what our worries are and we supplicate, or as Websters defines it we beg, we plead,with THANKSGIVING, thanking Him that the situation is not above Him, that we know it will work in us the character of God, that there will be some purpose to the trial.  He can be trusted.  
In James 5:16 it says: Therefore confess your sins to one another,  pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
This tells me we need each other, sometimes I just need a friend to listen to me and help lead me to the place where I can be anxious for nothing by praying with me.  
I love our Church family. On any given Sunday either before or after service you can look around and see brothers and sisters talking and sharing their lives and then often you will see them huddle together and start praying for each other.  There will be groups all over the Sanctuary like this. Some at the altar, two or three sitting in a circle with heads bowed, you can walk into the hallway and find others doing the same. It is part of our normal way of life.  And so often I hear testimony of how amazed someone is by the peace that came as a result of those prayers.  
So what am I trying to say?  Pray….pray about everything, pray alone, pray with someone but pray and know that God answers and that you do not have to be anxious, that you too can have the peace that passes all understanding. 
And how do you keep that peace? 
Philippians 4:8-9 Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.  


Grace and Peace,Sherry