The Daily Devotional

How Do I Keep from Being Anxious?

Do you struggle with anxiety? The Apostle Paul had much to say about this topic. In Philippians 3, he encourages believers to press forward with a renewed focus for the new year.

Ezra Byer

Nov 18, 2024 — 4 min read

Photo by A C / Unsplash

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you struggle with anxiety?

The Apostle Paul had much to say about this topic. In Philippians 3, he encourages believers to press forward with a renewed focus for the new year. Like a runner preparing for a race, Paul emphasizes the importance of internal growth over outward appearances. He warns against relying on external markers of success, urging believers instead to count all achievements as loss compared to the value of knowing Christ.

Then, in Philippians 4, Paul wraps up his letter with heartfelt encouragement to the church in Philippi. He understands the challenges they face and the hardships they’ll continue to endure. Still, his message is clear: when life gets tough, don’t give up.

Paul begins by saying in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He calls the believers to a radical response that goes against their natural instincts. Although rejoicing in the middle of trials seems impossible, Paul insists that our joy is not based on our circumstances but on our relationship with God. This joy is rooted in the unchanging character of God, not in the ever-changing difficulties we face.

Paul adds in Verse 6, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” As N.T. Write notes, “Anxiety was a way of life for many in the ancient pagan world. With so many gods and goddesses, all of them potentially out to get you for some offence you mightn’t even know about, you never knew whether something bad was waiting for you just round the corner.”^[1]

God’s Covenant Is a Two-Way Commitment

Do you ever feel like God only asks you to commit to him without offering anything in return? Psalm 132, a Song of Ascents, was sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem.

What Do I Do If I Hate My Life?

Have you ever hated your life so much that you wanted to die? This is where Job was at in Job 10. In Chapter 8, Bildad, one of his friends, responds to Job's lament by insisting that God is just and that Job's suffering must be a result of his own sin or wrongdoing.

What Is the Secret to Unity?

How do I live in unity with others? Philippians 2 gives us the answer. Paul wrote the Book of Philippians while in prison (likely in Rome) around 62 AD, approximately 100 years after Augustus defeated Brutus and Cassius in the Roman Civil War at Philippi.

Are You Aware of the Battle?

Are you aware of the spiritual warfare around you? In Ephesians 6:10, Paul emphasizes the importance of relying on God’s strength, stating, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”