Philippians 4:6-7 NLT 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.

In case you need to hear it again. Don’t worry about anything! Easier said than done, right? But don’t stop there, keep reading the verse and you will find the answer to help you not to worry. Pray about EVERYTHING! Everything? Yes, everything. God’s Word says everything, therefore God means everything, even the little, nit-picky things you think are inconsequential, even the things you think you can handle on your own. God wants to help you with everything. He wants to be part of every aspect of your life. Stop for a minute and think about this. Why don’t you pray about everything? What stops you? How can you be better about praying about everything? 

The verse continues: “Tell God what you need.” Yes, He already knows, but He wants you to acknowledge your need, and He wants to help you with that need. You don’t have to do anything on your own. After you pray about everything and tell God what you need, then thank Him for all He has done. Once again, acknowledge God, recognize that He is at work in your life. Every minute of every day. Be thankful God is there. Always! Be thankful that He is willing to take on your anxiety, your stress. Be thankful that He will listen to all your worries, fears, doubts, troubles, and needs. Be thankful you are not alone. Be thankful that God is more than willing to shoulder your burdens with you and for you.

Then, if you pray about everything and you thank God for all He has done, He gives you peace, peace that passes all understanding, peace you cannot comprehend, but true peace you can experience. Not the world’s peace or what you think is peace, but God’s peace, that peace which exceeds anything we can understand. God’s peace is what guards your heart and mind. That guarding will keep you from worrying. It guards your thoughts and your feelings. Release it all to Him, lean on Him – He never forsakes you!

Have you experienced God’s peace? What do you worry about? Have you prayed about it, why or why not? Have you thanked God for all He has done? Do you recognize His work in your life?

Research has shown that gratitude, being thankful, reduces stress. It blocks toxic emotions. You cannot hold onto anxiety and be grateful at the same time. These emotions affect the same area of the brain, so it is one or the other. Do you have a gratitude list, a list of blessings in your life, things that you are thankful for? When life becomes overwhelming and anxiety kicks in get out that list. Read through it. Add to it. Pray through it. Choose gratitude over stress and anxiety. November is a great month to develop the habit of thanksgiving.

Let thanksgiving be productive in your life. Let it combat the negative emotions and, as gratitude wells up inside you, may it overflow into your interactions with others as you strive to be One Dawning Light.