“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”
Philippians 4:4-5 (NASB)
Are you faced with challenges in your business or family and anxiously worrying about it? Worrying will rob you of your joy and your strength. Philippians 4:4-5 tells you how to deal with worry by encouraging you to focus and get a right perspective when He says, “Rejoice in the Lord, again I say, rejoice.”
Have you noticed you cannot praise God and at the same time be consumed with worry? So, start praising Him. God is reminding you that He has not left you, no matter what you’re going through. The Lord is near you and as one translation puts it, “He is at hand.” He is there for you. Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Here God is reminding you to replace worry with prayer and the promise is that His peace will prevail and guard your heart and mind from fear and worry.
The Message Bible says, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Declare this with me:
Instead of worrying and fretting, I will praise you, Lord, in all circumstances, no matter what is going on in my life.