Give it to God
1/31/23
Philippians 4:6-9
So often in life I would “pray” and “give something over to God” only to pick it up again…Not satisfied with God’s timing…His answer…His silence on the matter…I truly believe experiencing the blessing promised in scripture of “peace of God that surpasses all understanding” is connected to the fact that we must leave it with God.
Listen to the words of Philippians 4:6&7
“Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made know to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This is much easier said than done! I remember a time during Nate’s second deployment. He was in Afghanistan. He had called us and said we may not hear from him for a few days. Well, that alone was enough to get the anxiety rolling, knowing what his job was. I remember the anxiety at day nine of not hearing from him was almost unbearable. There was absolutely nothing I could do about it, except “Give it to God.”
Often, we turn things over to God but then we worry about what or how God might respond. The turning over of a particular matter to God is only half the instruction. If we look the “peace and understanding” we all look for is directly connected to the redirection of our focus.
Philippians 4 verses 8&9 states:
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy…meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
The Apostle Paul is saying “If you have really entrusted this to God then focus on something else and don’t worry about it.” We are to divert our concern to things that are:
- Things that are True
- Things that are Noble
- Things that are Just
- Things that are Pure
- Things that are Lovely
- Things that are of Good Report
These are the things we are to focus on to “meditate” on.
As we see God move in these things…encouragement, peace, and understanding come as we see the grace of God revealed in each of them.
Psalm 55:22 says “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you…”