That’s it. Don’t worry. By the way, that’s not a helpful suggestion or a handy hint. It’s a command. It’s proof that God wants our obedience not as some sort of Cosmic Killjoy who wants to destroy our happiness but as a Gentle Father who only wants the best for His children and is looking out for their ultimate joy.

Have you ever heard the expression “sick with worry?” It’s not just an expression. You can literally worry yourself sick. You can shorten your lifespan through excessive anxiety. But God’s way is better. If you pray about anything and trust God with everything, you’ll find peace replacing worry at the center of your life.

I get that for some people, anxiety isn’t a mindset. It’s an actual medical condition caused by chemical imbalances. I’m completely okay with people who take medication for that kind of anxiety. Sometimes, it’s not faith or medicine, belief or science. Sometimes, it’s both.

But for most of us, anxiety is a choice. It might be a default setting, but it doesn’t have to be the automatic first response. The longer you walk with Jesus and immerse yourself in His Word and in prayer, the less you’ll find worry taking up a place in your thoughts. The more you’ll find that peace that passes all understanding really does guard your heart and mind.

Lord, make us people of Your peace. Help us to be intentional to seek Your way over the way of worry and anxiety, Give us courage to pursue counseling and medication if that’s what it takes. But most of all, may the Prince of Peace rule our hearts and minds more and more as we learn that it’s safe to trust in You. Amen.