img_4081Devotional by: Lt. Melissa Sivels

Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
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.
Philippians 4: 5-7

Can I confess something for a moment? I tend to have an anxious personality. I try my best to listen to the words that Paul wrote to the Philippians in these verses but sometimes that is much harder than others. I am a worrier. I am a people pleaser. I am a perfectionist. None of these things make it easy for me to avoid anxiousness.
However, I’ve started to come to a point in my life that I ask myself why. Why am I feeling so uneasy about things that should not be causing me a lack of sleep at night? Ultimately, whether I want to acknowledge this or not, my moments of uncontrollable anxiousness tell God that I do not trust him. I don’t trust him enough to believe that even if things don’t go exactly how I want them to that it will all be okay. I don’t trust that he has a much bigger and better plan than I do. I don’t remember that my corps people are first and foremost his people. He loves them much more than I ever could.
I’ve learned that when I need to pause, take a deep breath, and pray. Nothing fancy. It might just be “God, give me peace.” or “God, give me energy to make it through this day.” And when I do, when I pause, when I breathe, when I pray; the peace of God is sustaining. It’s life giving. It’s anxiety stopping. Even if just for a moment.
That’s my prayer for you this day. That you would experience the peace of God in a new and fresh way. That your hearts and minds would be guarded and comforted by Christ Jesus.
Rest in His peace. Rest in His presence. Find your comfort there.
PROCESS
__________________
Do you have a reoccurring prayer?
What is it?
 
 
 
What do you need to thank God for today?
 
 
 
What does it mean to you to
live in Christ Jesus?