Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - The Cure for Worry | New Testament | Philippians 4

Episode Date: September 5, 2023

When the Bible says not to be anxious, is it a suggestion or a command? How can anyone ever truly stop worrying? If you're wrestling with anxiety, it's time to check in with Philippians 4. In today's episode, Tanya shares encouragement for worriers. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Join the TMBT community in reading the entire New Testament in one year. Get your FREE reading plan here. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Philippians 4

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life and the time it takes to get to work. I'm Tanya Wilmeth. I feel like the Bible talks about worry a lot. I feel like we deal with it a lot. Maybe it's something we need to check in on regularly with ourselves. I think you're going to find Philippians to be a great way to check in with yourself, spiritually and mentally. Make sure to go back and listen to the last three episodes if you haven't already over the first three chapters of Philippians. and bookmark this part of the New Testament for maybe personal meditation or study.

Now, don't worry, is a lot easier said than done, especially when you factor in who it's coming from. And taken from Bob Marley and sat to some reggae music on an island, it might seem doable. Taken from your friend who's tired of listening to your struggles, it has a different ring. When Paul said it in Philippians 4, he wasn't chastising or encouraging a beach vacation. And the way Paul said it was a command. like stop worrying. Actually, stop being anxious right now. It doesn't serve you mentally, physically or spiritually. In fact, it actually does harm to all of those areas of your life. But also, don't worry about how to do this because I'm going to give you the cure.

Paul's actual words from Philippians chapter 4, verse 6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. That verse might be something that we know so well or have heard so often, we don't even think about it anymore. But when Paul wrote this letter, he was leading by example. His life had been exciting and fast-paced. He'd been moving from city to city and preaching the gospel. He had responsibility and connection and support.

And with that came challenges and disappointments and even danger. But now all the excitement and fast-paced part of his life is behind him. And he's riding while chained to a prison guard 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So he's sharing what he's learned about how to mentally and spiritually rise above the circumstances that shackle or weight us down. And to the Philippians, it's a command. Do not be anxious about anything. Is a literal command to stop being anxious and stop worrying. Anxious in the Greek is ma'am now, which means to be troubled with cares.

It feels like being pulled in two different directions. one being our hopes and dreams, and the other are real life challenges and trials. It feels like those two directions are pulling you at both ends. Now, other versions use the word worry, which comes from an old English word that literally means to strangle. So worry chokes out inner peace, and it squeezes the life out of you. Not only do anxiety and worry rob you of peace, but we have to be careful about camping out here and making a home out of them.

Because when we live in a state of fear and distress, our trust in God and his sovereignty are also compromised. So being anxious can actually impact our faith. So it's a serious thing. Paul wants to tell us what to do about it. He says, commit your burdens, other people's burdens that burden you over to the Lord in prayer. He urges this because that's what he's been doing, and it has brought tranquility to his soul.

What is it in your life? that causes you to panic, either low level, or gives you moments that actually paralyze you with worry. Paul says that the cure is prayer, a conversation with God that is ongoing, a conversation that addresses whatever is causing your inner turmoil and strife. And Paul uses four words in that verse for us to look at. Prayer, supplication, Thanksgiving, and request. Now, prayer is a general term that covers all four, but let's look closer at the next three. Supplication. That means to lack something or be without.

When you give your supplications to God, you're telling him what you lack. It might sound like, Lord, I am too upset or angry to enter into this conversation right now. I don't have the words. Or it could be, Lord, I don't have a soft or a kind heart, and I don't have enough patience to handle this situation. Or it could be, Lord, I lack the courage and strength to do what I know I have to do today. That's supplication.

The next word is Thanksgiving. And you know what that means, but it's a reminder that with complete honesty to the Lord about what we lack, there should also be complete honesty with the Lord about what he's already done for us. It's gratitude that comes in remembering. Like, Lord, I remember that last time I tried something new, you supported me in ways I didn't expect, and then I was actually happy when it was over. Or, Lord, you are going to be in relationship with me because you keep your promises. And I'm thankful for your steadfastness, even though this other relationship is rocky right now.

And the last word, request. We give our request over to God. Well, this is the part we do really well, because this is telling God what we need. It's making known to God what we want from him. But do we do this specifically? See, Jesus tells a parable about making a request known to God in Luke, Chapter 11. He describes a scene where a man has a visitor arrived very late in the night after a long journey. And perhaps the visit is unexpected, because the man wants to welcome his tired and hungry friend,

but he lacks food to feed him. So at midnight, he goes to another friend's house and he needs. knocks on the door and he wakes the whole household by shouting, hey, I need three loaves of bread. Well, does the sleeping friend just yell at him and tell him to go away and come back in the morning? Does he yell at him for waking up the whole house? Well, Jesus answers his own question, saying the friend gets up and gives him the bread. And then Jesus says, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find.

Knock, and it will be open to you. I am encouraged by that story to be very specific with God about what I need from him, even if it's three loaves of bread. So which of those parts of prayer? Sublication, Thanksgiving, or request? Do you currently spend the most time in? Which do you need to practice more of? These are the roots of our relationship with God.

This is where our confidence in being known by Him grows. Now, if prayer is the cure for our illness of worry, And anxiety, what kind of life does Paul say is on the other side? Well, he says it's a life of peace. Are you interested in that kind of life? I think we all are. So the next verse, it's Philippians 4-7. It starts with the word, and, which connects this verse to the last one with the command

to stop worrying, start praying. He says, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. no matter how God answers your prayers, taking your concerns to God is the actual path to peace. That's because God is peace. So this is a supernatural peace that can't be gained or explained by us or human effort. It means no matter how well we do the right things, we can't find this peace for ourselves. But in Christ Jesus, no matter how well we do, we will.

find an experience in our tranquility. Since God himself is peace, being with him connects us to the true source of peace. And not only that, but the last part of the verse says, the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This means the peace of God stands guard over you like a century. It protects your heart and your mind from things that could trouble you. Can you tell God the top three reasons for your anxiety today? Can you tell him how that affects your mood, your relationships, and your life? Can you tell him what you don't have enough of? Will you take time to remember and tell him thank you for what he's already done for you?

In John 1427, Jesus says, Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be fearful. There is no peace outside of Jesus. But if you will come to Jesus, he will receive your troubles and open the door for you to have abiding peace that comes from life in him.