“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

When we live a life without anxiety, we live in freedom. When you feel the weight of worry heavy on your life, pray and give thanks. Our initial reaction is to call our mom, best friend or mentor. According to Phil. 4:6-7, we are instructed to call on the Lord. When we pray, we will find true peace and direction. You might be thinking, “when I pray, I get no direction.” I’ve learned that most of the time, no answer means be still (a.k.a. chill out). God wants us to be patient in the waiting and trust Him. Which I feel like is one of the toughest spiritual disciplines to learn.

One of the most important aspects of prayer that we often forget is thanksgiving. A thankful prayer humbles our hearts and reminds us of all the blessings and opportunities God has given us. He has done so much — why would He stop now? This weekend I was reminded of one of my favorite scriptures:

“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:9

His plan is best. He created this universe, I’m thinking He’s got this all figured out. With prayer and thanksgiving, we can overcome the anxiety of the unknown. It’s not easy but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome.