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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.
We live in a world where it is so easy to get discouraged and overwhelmed, where evils and injustices seem to be all you hear about. From the moment we open our eyes in the morning to the moment we close them at night, we have a front-row seat to division, wars, political play-by-plays, and chaos from all over the world. Because we have immediate access to all of this, on top of the craziness of our everyday lives, it can be so easy to think our problems are bigger than our God.
In these verses, we are reminded of how untrue that is! We are commanded not to be anxious about anything but in every situation, every unexpected speed bump, every decision, whether it be on our best day or our worst — to bring our requests to our Father. This is not an immediate process — it requires prayer. It requires a constant conversation with God where you invite Him into your situation and ask Him what it is that you are wanting. When you do this, do it with a posture of surrender and gratitude where you thank Him for what He has already blessed you with.
The act of this, of being honest and vulnerable and opening your heart to Him, is when He gives you peace. This is a peace that is so perfect and so genuine that our brains can’t understand how real it actually is. This peace is not something that you just feel though. It is something that will intensely protect your heart and mind from anxiety, discouragement, and feeling overwhelmed. It is a perfect peace from the God who has created you and cares for you more than anyone ever has.
Because of this truth, as you pray for today and this week, ask God to remind you of this peace that He offers. Ask Him to help you take your eyes off of the circumstances that you can’t control and refocus your mind to Him.
Father,
Thank you for the gift that you offer. Thank you for your consistent pursuit and presence in my life because even when I am presented with stressful and intense situations, you are with me. Lord, I pray that in the midst of the anxiety, stress, and chaos, I make room for your Spirit to experience your peace. I know that you will guide me through everything I face, and I thank you for your protection of my heart and mind.
It is in Jesus’ holy and precious name I pray,
Amen.
Today, pray for our Location Pastors. Pray that the Lord plants them firm in His Word. Pray the Lord gives them favor with their flocks and the ability to shepherd them well. Ask God to provide them with a sound mind to be able to intercede for their locations.
Pastors:
Orange City Pastor: Jadner Lugo
DeLand Location Pastor: John Sellers
Deltona Location Pastor: Tim Bulleman
Online Experience Pastor: Austin Prince