Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

There is a song we occasionally sing in a church called, “What a Fried We Have in Jesus.” One of the most impacting lines to that song to me personally has always been the phrase, “Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear” simply because we do not take them to God in prayer. There are many moments in life when I feel like the anxieties of life are going to drown me spiritually and physically. It is in those moments I realize that I am failing to take those cares to Jesus.

When we attempt to carry the pain of this life on our own, we not only wear ourselves out but we also wear ourselves down to the point where we are susceptible to thoughts, temptations, and tendencies that we would normally have the strength to overcome. The more we carry, the less stable we can stand. Some of the strongest people take the hardest falls because they fail to pass the weight of this life over to God. If you feel the weight of the world piling up on your shoulders, give it to God. Trade the weight of your worry for the peace of God. He can handle your concerns better than you can.

Here are three ways from Philippians 4:6 to trade your worries for the peace of God:

• Pray. Confess your weakness, your feelings, your failures, and your concerns to God. He alone will give you the peace you are seeking. Don’t expect people to give you what only God is able to disperse into your life.
• Petition. The core thought for petitioning is requesting God to act on behalf of another. Your prayer can alter what God does in your life but you can also invite the Lord to work in the lives of others. Petition God to work in the lives around you to bring His plan to pass.
• Give thanks. Many times when you are in the straights of life the last thing you seemingly have time for is thanksgiving. However, thanksgiving is key to remembering that God is working on your behalf and present in your circumstance.

Today’s Challenge: If you feel like you are being overwhelmed, trade your worry for God’s peace. You were not meant to carry the load of this world on your own. If you attempt such a feat you will end up destroying yourself. Follow the three-step plan above and trade your worry for God’s peace. Each time worry begins to take back over, repeat the prayer until worry is defeated in your life.