Our true comfort comes in trusting in the one who holds tomorrow.
It’s one of the most quoted verses of the Bible: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Echoing the words of Jesus to leave tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow, Philippians 4:6 points us to an antidote for anxiety: prayer.
A current situation causes anxiety. We cannot see the way ahead. We bow our heads to petition for help. What could be simpler?
But our requests reveal much about our understanding of ourselves, of anxiety in general, and of God. Our prayers in anxious moments can actually lead to greater anxiety unless we pay close attention to the kinds of petitions Paul has in view when he gives his exhortation.
We are, indeed, anxious about what the future holds, wondering about what to do when difficulties arise in our friendships, our finances, and our families. If we could just know a bit more about what is coming next, surely we could lay to rest our anxieties and take a proactive stance. And certainly, we could relax and trust God!
We make our requests known to God: “Lord, please show me what to do next. Make tomorrow clear.”
We reason that if we just had the benefit of clear divine direction, we would absolutely follow it. But the story of Moses at the burning bush warns us otherwise. Moses is given instruction from the mouth of God himself to go to Egypt and deliver his people. The result? Anxiety in the extreme. An unwillingness to follow. A crisis of identity. Clear words from the Lord yielded neither confidence nor peace for Moses.
We reason that if God would show us a sure sign, we would have peace. But the story of Gideon warns us otherwise. His requests for God to prove he will do what …
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