Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.23.4.KJV

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:4‭-‬8 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/php.4.4-8.KJV

What if you can praise God even in the middle of pain? Brian experienced anxiety that led to some physical symptoms as well. But through his experience, he discovered that he still had much to thank God for. Here’s his story:  I first dealt with acute anxiety and panic some years ago while living in a foreign country during a challenging stage of life. While trying to learn a new language, start a business, be the light of Christ where there was virtually no church present, and parent twin one-year-olds, it was as if I gradually descended a dark valley.  Over the course of several months, I suffered from chest pains, headaches and other sickness that served as a catalyst for fear and concern unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Up until this point in my life, I really hadn’t battled worry too much, and if I’m honest, I even prided myself on being a courageous risk taker. But I soon began to dwell on worst-case scenarios—convinced something serious was wrong with me or that something terrible would happen to my family.  People ask whether my anxiety was circumstantial, physiological, or spiritual. Having considered this quite a bit, I am fairly convinced that the answer is “yes.” I believe that often there can be multiple things at play. Stress has a way of boiling to a point where even those with the highest tolerance are susceptible to its building force.  Also, like other physical limitations or sickness, some of us experience times when our bodies’ chemicals are out of balance. In addition, our spiritual enemy seems to be an opportunist when it comes to his attacks, striking in our areas of weakness.  In Paul’s famous challenge to be anxious for nothing in Philippians 4:6-7, he calls us not only to pray but also to give thanks. The context of Paul’s instruction is not on the heels of victory or after receiving a miraculous breakthrough. In fact, Paul himself was facing a pretty terrible situation. He was writing to the Philippian church from prison and facing a very uncertain future. And yet, his letter reflects his deep joy and attitude of rejoicing.  So in the middle of our pain, we can also give praise.  I don’t believe Paul is asking us to drum up insincere gratitude. I think Paul is challenging us to give thanks where thanks is due, even in the midst of whatever current struggle we are going through.  I have found that I am never without things to celebrate. Even during some of the most difficult trials I have faced, there have also been things I’m thankful for. Meditating on those and voicing gratitude to Him helps transform my perspective and recalibrate my mind.  An overload of negative or stressful thoughts can create a general sense of impending doom. But even when stating my gratefulness to God as a forced act of discipline, I often experience the weight begin to lift.  That’s not to say there’s some gimmicky formula to an anxiety-free life. But the principle of praising God even through pain is a pathway to His life-giving presence, which offers us peace.  -Brian

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:25‭-‬26‭, ‬28‭-‬34 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.25-34.KJV

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.14.27.KJV

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.11.28.KJV

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/php.4.6-7.KJV

Do you ever feel guilty for being a Christian who isn’t “anxious for nothing”? Does having anxiety give you more anxiety because you feel like you’re not supposed to feel it? Lori was in the same boat until she discovered one thing that changed everything.  My marriage was in shambles. I was shouldering all of the responsibility of raising three kids, two of them teenagers (Lord, help me!) all on my own. Working, cooking, cleaning, carpooling, fixing, financing, supporting, loving, providing—it was all on me. My anxiety was through the roof, and I didn’t know what to do about it.  I was trying everything I could think of: counseling, meditation, medication, music, exercise, reciting Scriptures, you name it! Nothing seemed to take it away. Don’t get me wrong, it was definitely helping to do these things. I learned to use the tools I needed to get myself centered on Christ again. But I was still struggling. Looking back, one thing I realize I wasn’t trying was “not trying.” If you search Scripture, you will find a ton of verses about worry. I know because I was looking for a magic formula to help me conquer it once and for all. In my search, I found something unexpected. You have to pay attention to see it, but in these verses there are implicit instructions from our Father to do nothing. Yes, seriously—nothing. In Matthew 11:28 NIV, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He is doing the work here, not us. We just have to come to Him. In John 14:27 NIV, He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you …” Are you sensing a theme? He is giving us peace. He is giving us rest. We do nothing.  Again in Matthew 6:25-34 NIV, this famous passage tells us not to worry, for God even “clothes the grass of the field,” so how much more will He take care of us? We’re told to “seek first his kingdom … and all these things will be given” to us. That’s right—did you catch that? Given! God is a giver. He has the answers, and He has our back. Some things we just can’t do ourselves, but that is exactly how He designed it. For us to need Him. All of those things I worried about worked out, one way or another. It wasn’t until I took a breath, rested, truly came to Jesus, got quiet, let go of all the details, told God that I trusted Him completely—and then learned to do nothing—that I finally found peace. Ultimately, my prayers became less about my situation and more about my trust in Him.  If you need to do the same, I highly encourage you to rest in Him. You can trust Him. Here’s what I pray when I’m feeling overwhelmed by anxiety again:  Dear Lord, I come to You today to ask for help. You are my everything. Lord, I need rest. I give You my worry. Take it, Lord. I accept Your peace, love, and understanding. Help me to turn to You and not to myself. Help me to stop doing and start trusting. Help me to wait on Your answers, because I know that they are good. Give me wisdom, hope, and peace. Thank you, Lord, for Your patience and grace. I love You, and I know You love me so much more than I could ever imagine. Amen. -Lori

I just finished day 4 of the @YouVersion plan ‘Anxious For Nothing’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/4AQ

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:1‭-‬4‭, ‬6‭-‬7 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rev.21.1-7.KJV

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:4‭-‬5 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.1.4-5.KJV

Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: Are they not in thy book? Psalm 56:8 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.56.8.KJV

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:11 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.8.11.KJV

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:6‭-‬7 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/1pe.5.6-7.KJV

Jesus meets us in the middle of anxiety, even when we don’t feel Him at first. Chelsea first experienced anxiety right after graduating from college. Here’s her story of how God brought her out of darkness and into His peace.  The feelings of fear, worry, and depression were so real. I could barely eat because of the daily nausea. I slept more than 12 hours every night, yet every morning it was a battle to even make myself get out of bed. I was so wrapped up in my own mind that most days I simply didn’t speak. I sought help from my family, a doctor, a counselor, pastors, and friends, but my dark days seemed to be never-ending. We all experience dark days. And those dark days may last weeks. Or months. Or years. But if you know the story of Good Friday, the day Jesus gave His life for yours, you know there is good news, friends. Friday is dark, but Sunday is coming!  We have a hope in the darkness, and our hope has a name. His name is Jesus.  On my darkest day, a Friday in July, I finally drew near to Him just as He had been drawing near to me. I prayed:  Jesus, help me reject the lies of the enemy. Jesus, help me overcome my anxious heart. Jesus, help me trust that You are in control. Jesus, help me believe that the Spirit who raised You from the dead dwells in me. And two days later, on Sunday, I woke up without the heaviness of depression and without the feeling of anxiety. For the first time in so long, I could feel His peace. And I experienced a miraculous healing that can only be explained by the goodness of God. During my dark days, Jesus gave me hope. Even when I couldn’t feel Him, He was there. Every single day that I felt far from Him, He was pulling me closer to Himself. I don’t know if you’ll experience the sudden, miraculous healing from your pain like I did. But I know for sure God is with you in the pain.  Jesus understands human suffering. And He cares. He cared enough to leave Heaven and die for us to put an end to our darkness once and for all.  The Bible says: … His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:4-5 NLT Sunday’s coming.  -Chelsea  

I just finished day 3 of the @YouVersion plan ‘Anxious For Nothing’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/4AQ

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/isa.26.3.KJV

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jos.1.9.KJV

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Mark 4:35‭-‬41 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mrk.4.35-41.KJV

Is peace really possible today? Cheri went on a quest 11 years ago to find out. Here’s what she discovered along the way:  I remember it vividly. The day I decided I couldn’t live like this anymore. Here I was, a fully devoted follower of Christ, responding to life pretty much like everyone else. I lived in fear and worry, yet I knew it shouldn’t be that way! Consistently I read in the Word of God not to be afraid and to be anxious for nothing. But that sounded impossible! God has a lot to say in the Bible about fear and its antidote: peace. In one instance, Jesus and His disciples were on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a furious storm threatened to sink them. They all fought to keep afloat, and what was Jesus doing? He was sound asleep! Right in the middle of the storm. The disciples asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus got up and rebuked the storm, and it went completely calm. Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NIV That pretty much summed up the conversations I was having with God. I could feel Him asking me why I was afraid, and I was answering, Isn’t it obvious? Look at my circumstances! Who wouldn’t or couldn’t be afraid? In my quest for peace, several things became crystal clear. My circumstances were determining my level of peace. If life’s circumstances were all good, then I was at peace. If storms were encircling me, I was stressed, anxious, and tired all the time—exhausted from my emotions. I was just like the disciples in the storm. I was fearful of the storm, hurt, and confused because I thought God didn’t care. But Jesus brought me to my next point. Jesus was trying to teach me peace is possible, no matter the storm. Are you relating to this battle? It’s not easy, is it? I was still struggling to understand how Jesus could expect me to experience peace in the storm, wondering if He truly even cared, when I realized my next breakthrough point.  My storms revealed my level of trust. Peace doesn’t mean everything is going right in your life. It means being at peace when storms are shaking your life. I hadn’t learned to trust God and find peace even in those storms. Have you hit that wall yet? It was obvious I had some room to grow. But I’m learning that the path to peace is found by trusting and fixing our thoughts on the One who is never unsettled by storms. It didn’t happen overnight, but little by little, more peace and rest rejuvenated my tired, weary soul.  -Cheri  

I just finished day 2 of the @YouVersion plan ‘Anxious For Nothing’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/4AQ

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelation 22:13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rev.22.13.KJV

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.4.8.KJV

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.15.13.KJV

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:7‭-‬9 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/2co.12.7-9.KJV