The simplest instructions can sometimes be the most difficult to follow. Let me give you an example (hypothetical, of course). When a parent tells her teenage daughter, “Clean your room,” you’d think the teen would know to pick up her various piles of clothes on the floor, not bunch them up in one gigantic, overflowing heap! But somehow what’s obvious to the parent seems to befuddle the child.
Fortunately, when it comes to obeying the Lord, we don’t have to guess how we’re supposed to live. The Bible gives us simple, clear-cut instructions, such as, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Phil. 4:6-7).
Sounds easy enough, right? I wish it was. Let’s take a closer look at the truths in these two verses:
- “Don’t worry about anything.” You may be wondering, Is that even possible? It must be, or God wouldn’t have included this command in the Bible.
- “Pray about everything.” Talk to God about the details of your life. No matter how big or small, He cares about it all!
- “Tell God what you need.” If you haven’t already, make a list of prayer requests for yourself and others in a journal. Then continue to bring those requests before the Lord on a regular basis.
- “Thank him for all he has done.” Tell the Lord how thankful you are for specific blessings in your life. Make it a goal to write down five or 10 things every day.
When we develop the habit of trusting God with every situation, we’ll have tranquility instead of tension. Also, as we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, our hearts will be full of joy. But wait. There’s more! Check out Phil. 4:7:
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Did you catch that? The peace of God will act as a garrison around us so the enemy can’t break though!
In your prayer time today, thank the Lord for the gift of his perfect peace that protects you, strengthens you, and leads you to victory.