“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4: 4-7 (NIV)
I began this blog to share prayers, Scripture, and insight. We live in tumultuous times, and can often feel overwhelmed and confused by what is going on in both our country and world. In this past week, we have seen changes in our ideas of democracy, world relations, and institutions. Each day feels like shifting sand as we turn on our TV’s, news outlets, internet, and talk shows. I chose this verse today, on the first day of February, to remind us all that “the Lord is near”. We may ask “where is God?”, and “what is He doing?”. But we trust that He is near. Paul reminds us in this text that we are to rejoice, no matter what. ALWAYS. No matter the feelings we have, the anxieties we feel— we can find things to rejoice about. Perhaps we witnessed a beautiful sunrise. Perhaps our baby started to crawl. Perhaps we had good news about a medical test. If we look around, there are many things that we can rejoice about. God is present, even in suffering. Paul reminds us that we do not have to be anxious about anything! That we can take all things to God. And as we give our anxieties away to God, He will bring a peace into our hearts that can help us through tough times! That is good news!
Activity for today– write a list of 2 or more things that you can rejoice about, or blessings that have recently happened to you. Pray over your list, thanking God.
Prayer- “Gracious God, you give me much to rejoice over, even in these uncertain times. Help me to see your presence in my life, the good blessings that come my way each day. Help me to give my anxieties away to you, and open my heart to your peace. Â Amen. ”
Prayer For All Days 