Replace Worry with Peace

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.
—Isaiah 26:3

If you want to deal with worry in your life, remember God’s past faithfulness. We see an example of this in the life of David. King David was filled with anxiety. He worried all the time. When his son Absalom led a revolt against him, David lapsed into despair. He wrote Psalm 3:1-2: “O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him in God.’” But then notice how quickly his attitude changes. “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me” (vv.3-5). What changed David’s attitude so quickly? David started remembering God’s past faithfulness and he realized the same God who had delivered him in the past would deliver him from this problem. David had a way of reflecting on God’s past faithfulness. Remember as a young boy, when he was going up against Goliath, David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). David was able to look back on God’s past acts of faithfulness, and that gave him courage for the future. As you look at your past, can you remember times where God intervened in your life, when you were facing a problem that was too big to handle, yet God delivered you? We need to remember those experiences so that when we face difficult times, we can be encouraged by God’s faithfulness.

Another way to handle worry in our lives is to remain in contact with God. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul provides us with the greatest antidotes for worry. One is speaking to God. The other is allowing God to speak to us. “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.” That word “guard” refers to a Roman sentry that would march around a fortress to secure it. Prayer does that for us. When we pray about instead of worrying about those things we fear, it is like God marches around our minds. He protects our thoughts in Christ Jesus. Then Paul goes on to talk about allowing God to speak to us. “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (vv. 8-9). And what’s the promise? “The God of peace shall be with you” (v. 9). Prayer and meditation on God’s Word will free you from many anxious thoughts. The Word of God promises, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Winning over Worry” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.