“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
Philippians 4:6
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Dear Friends in Christ,
Imagine never having to worry about anything ever again. We all have worries about work, home, and school. There are health issues, financial problems, marital strife, broken relationships, and family estrangement. And, of course there are worries about war, the economy, politics, and moral decay. And the list goes on. We live in anxious times. People are stressed out.
In October I will be doing part of a presentation at the North American Church Atlantic Mission Region Convocation in Maryland. Along with others we will be addressing the topic, “Trusting the Lord in Anxious Times.” I was asked to speak because of my background in Psychology and Pastoring. Many of you know I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and have a private practice in Allentown in addition to serving as Pastor at St. John’s.
The verse above from Philippians is the anchor for my part of the presentation. Philippians is known as the mental health book of the Bible. St. Paul, in his usual style, encourages the Congregation and challenges them as well. The Bible tells us to turn our worries into prayers. It says that the antidote to worry is to be thankful. Worry or thanks. It’s hard to do both at the same time. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more. Give it to God and let it go. Wait and see what He does. Trust His timing and His answer to whatever you’re struggling with. He already knows all about it. And God will give you the peace that passes all understanding.
God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. It’s not just positive thinking, the absence of conflict, or feeling good. God’s peace comes from knowing that He is in control, that He holds us and the future in His hands, and the victory is sure.
God bless you all,
Pastor Dan