Week 47 Philippians
One of my reading-through rules is: don’t look back!
But yesterday Paul said: don’t worry about anything . And since I was worried about something today I broke the rule and looked back.
I looked back at not worrying about anything.
On the surface Don’t Worry About Anything is a kind of nice sentiment. It even sounds like it has substance. But as a free-standing, independent slogan it’s not really too helpful or useful. It tells me not to feel what I’m feeling. Not be what I’m being. And not much else.
Today I notice that verse six isn’t just four words long after all. Paul started with the four words: Don’t Worry About Anything. But then he went right on to add:
instead pray about everything
tell God what you need
thank him for all he has done.
So Paul is offering me an Anxiety Alternative.
He’s not saying don’t worry and just try to be happy.
He’s saying an if and a then – if you’re worried then you should pray to the Lord. According to Paul prayer is an actionable alternative to anxiety.
He seems to be saying that once I recognize I’m anxious I can take the step of telling the Lord, and even thanking him.
Speaking to the Lord is an Anxiety Management Tool.
Note: quote from Philippians 4:6 (NLT). And verse seven goes on to promise an alternative outcome, an anxiety replacement.