Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.                                                                                           

                                                                                               Philippians 4:6-7 

Worry is one of the most useless of all of the emotions. Sometimes we worry about things that will never come to pass. Other times, we worry as a means of coping with a situation beyond our control. But worry doesn’t deliver results. Jesus addressed human worry by stating the following:

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

                                                                                    Matthew 6:27 

Nothing positive usually comes from worry. This is why Paul instructs us to “be anxious for nothing.” When worry strikes, we need to have a game plan and that is exactly what Paul gives us. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything…pray. That’s right, we are to replace worry with conversation with God. Another way to put this instruction would be to “talk to God about everything.” The big stuff and the seemingly insignificant, God wants us to bring it all to Him. We do not have to use certain words. Talking to God doesn’t require assistance from an outside party. As believers, we can talk to God about everything and make our supplications with boldness and confidence (Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 3:12). A supplication is simply a need. It is something for which we ask God understanding that He already knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8). So why ask if he already knows? If we are going to understand the concept of peace then we need to comprehend the answer to that question. We pray to God and visit with Him as a means of fostering our relationship with Him. After many years of marriage, a husband and wife can often begin to read each other’s mind by anticipating what the other is going to say. Sometimes the couple can even finish each other’s sentences. But this familiarity doesn’t dismiss the reality that they still need to talk to one another and spend time together. The same is true for our relationship with God. He wants to hear from us.

Unlike worry, time spent in conversation with God will deliver tremendous results. And what is the result of putting aside worry and talking to God? The answer is peace! In fact this peace is described as “surpassing all comprehension.” That means that we can enjoy it but we will not even understand it. This is the part of the Christian experience that cannot be explained (in words) to the unbeliever. Often, this experience is reduced to merely some religious viewpoint. Tragically, many will miss the awesome benefits of conversing with God about everything and the peace that comes as a result. But for those who put away worry and engage the God who loves them, peace is the byproduct.

But Paul isn’t quite finished yet. This peace goes to work. It serves a purpose. The peace that is from God will guard. Just like a soldier manning his post as a means of keeping others safe from harm is the peace of God. This peace guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. This peace will keep our hearts focused on the One who has delivered us from sin and death. This peace will guard our minds so that we can think clearly. The peace of God benefits us as it keeps us protected from all of the trappings of the world.

To rejoice in the Lord and to experience His peace in our lives…nothing can even compare! Peace, it makes a nice compliment to joy!