Tag Archive for: Philippians 4:6-7

Okay To Not Be Okay

,

Philippians 4:6–7 — Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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.

There’s something different happening in the way people talk about what’s going on inside them.

They are actually talking about mental health. I don’t remember this happening in my entire life, and I’m going to be 55 this year. People are talking about anxiety, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by everything happening in the world. They’re admitting when they’re not okay.

And honestly, I think that’s a really good thing.

Because pretending everything is fine when it isn’t doesn’t make the weight disappear. It just makes you carry it quietly.

And that’s one of the things I love about faith. The Bible has never pretended people are okay when they aren’t. David wrote when he was overwhelmed. Elijah told God he was exhausted and ready to quit.

And God didn’t shame them for feeling that way. He met them there.

Maybe that’s where you are today.

Maybe nobody looking at you would know it. You’re getting through the day. You’re answering the messages. You’re doing your job and taking care of everybody else, but inside, your mind is racing because you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to carry.

In many ways, that’s what Paul in the Bible was speaking about when he tells us not to be consumed by anxiety, but to bring everything to God. Then he describes something beautiful: when we do, God’s peace stands guard over our hearts and minds.

It’s not because every circumstance suddenly changes. It’s because we’re no longer facing those circumstances alone.

So, if today feels heavy, don’t pretend it doesn’t. Bring it to God… all the worry, the exhaustion, and the things you don’t know how to say out loud. Remember friend, you may still be walking through something, but you don’t have to carry it by yourself.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is weighing most heavily on your heart or mind right now? Have you been carrying it quietly instead of bringing it to God?
  • What worry do you need to turn into a prayer today? Be specific with God about what you need.
  • Are you trying to handle something on your own that God is inviting you to surrender to Him?
  • What does “pray about everything” look like in your life right now? Is there something you’ve been hesitant to bring to God?
  • Think about a time when God met you in a difficult season. What do you remember about His presence, even if your circumstances didn’t immediately change?
  • Philippians 4:6–7 connects prayer, thanksgiving, and peace. What is one thing you can thank God for today, even in the middle of what feels difficult?
  • What would it look like for you to trust God with what you cannot control today?
/by

Hope Says Hallelujah Anyhow

,

Philippians 4:6-7 — Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace that passes all understanding. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you’ve sung about it—but what does it really mean to you?

Recently, I’ve had to lean into this question in a way I didn’t expect. I suffered a loss that most people can’t feel, see, or fully understand. It was isolating. Frustrating. And the hardest part? Life didn’t stop.

I still had to show up to work. I still had to love my people well at home. But my heart, my body, and my mind—they were tired. And I can’t just take a break every time I feel overwhelmed… so what do I do?

We bring everything to God in prayer instead of carrying it alone. Yes, every worry, every ache, and every unanswered question. We lean into Him.

Not in a polished, put-together way, but in the middle of the mess.

Because true peace isn’t a spa day, vacation, or easy night at home with pizza and your favorite pajamas. Those are good—but they fade. They don’t hold you together when life breaks something deep inside you.

True peace shows up right in the middle of the pain when you choose to trust that you are still being held by God.

It’s choosing to say “hallelujah anyhow” because even here… you believe Him.

I don’t know what you need today. But maybe peace that passes understanding starts there—in the choice to hand it over, again and again, to God and trust that He is closer than you think.

Because peace isn’t found in everything going right. It’s found in knowing God is near, even when everything feels wrong.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What burden have you been carrying that you need to hand over to God again today?
  • Have you ever experienced peace from God even when your circumstances didn’t improve right away?
  • What does “peace that passes understanding” mean to you personally?
  • Where do you usually turn first when you feel overwhelmed?
  • How can prayer become more honest and personal in this season of your life?
/by