In Philippians 4:6, the apostle Paul tells us to "be anxious in nothing, but in everything, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." The result he promises is "the peace of Gos, which transcends all understanding" (vs 7).
Imagine not having anxiety about anything. Imagine living with a spirit of thanksgiving, regardless of your circumstances. Imagine living in an envelope of peace that Hell itself cannot shake. Now, don't imagine but know that you can live like that.
It begins with your faith in His promise to provide and protect, and your trust that His answer is right and good - always! It then requires a decision to thank God for the blessing he will provide in the middle of your circumstance. Then, knowing that God is good and that he will provide what is best, lay before him your concerns and rest in the knowledge that God's got this.
Am I saying that this is easy? Not particularly, even the best among us can fail. Remember when Jesus called Peter out on the water and, after beginning to walk on it, became anxious and started to sink (cf. Matt 14:30)? All of can relate to being overcome like that. But, do you also remember what Peter did next? He called on the Lord and was pulled out of the water.
Living with abandon, fully trusting in God and being anxious in nothing but thankful in everything, is not easy for us because we struggle with our faith and our trust in Hus power and goodness. So, chances are that you and I will not, anytime soon, perfectly live anxious-free lives, experiencing the "peace that transcends all understanding" (v. 7).
However, we can make it our goal and keep calling out to Jesus as Peter did. And, like Peter who started out so shaky, become a rock in the faith. Jus' Sayn.
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