Do not be anxious about anything

Anything? Really?

It can sound impossible, even a little dismissive, until we read Philippians 4:7. Paul doesn't leave us with a command to stop worrying. He gives us something to do instead: "in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Look at the pieces of that instruction:

• Prayer and petition: We are invited to bring our specific needs and fears to God, not polished versions of them.

• With thanksgiving: Gratitude shifts our focus from what's missing to what God has already done.

• Every situation: Nothing is too big, too small, or too messy to bring to Him.

Anxiety loves to circle. Prayer interrupts the circle by handing the worry to someone who can actually carry it.