DAY 11
THE ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY
JESS CIARAMITARO, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. —Phillipians 4:4-7
Have you ever memorized a verse, had it in your heart and mind for years and years, and somehow never noticed the surrounding verses? For me, that verse is the ever-popular, Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
The single verse packs a punch. The simple yet profound practice of praying rather than letting your thoughts spiral can truly be life-changing. As the scripture states, this practice truly guards our hearts and minds- as petitions make way for peace.
But there are a few sentences from Paul that preface our well-known, highlighted, laminated, reprinted-and-framed verse:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
It’s almost like He knew we’d skim past it, hitting us with the “let me repeat myself!”
Not only is Paul instructing us on what to do (rejoice in the Lord) but also when (always). You see, the verse most of us have memorized is the how and why. But the thesis of this teaching is the ever-important instruction to rejoice.
This is because joy is the antidote to anxiety. In fact, many studies have shown that the brain cannot respond to anxiety and gratitude at the same time. It is an “either/or” situation. We can feel anxious and experience other negative feelings, or we can feel grateful and all of the positive emotions that are associated with it.
This heart-posture of rejoicing no matter what is going on in our lives transports us out of the present moment, through His gates and into His courts (Psalms 100:4).
So what does it look like to rejoice... today? Here is one simple practice I’ve adapted, that’s been transformative for my thought life:
As soon as I wake up, before I let my feet hit the floor, or my hand reaches for my phone, I whisper Phillipians 4:4-9 to myself (this took some practice; my memory is not great). This is done at a slow pace, inserting my own prayers between Paul’s teaching. Here is an outline of the scripture, for you to try now:
Rejoice in the Lord (tell God what you are thankful for).
I will say it again, Rejoice (keep telling Him; spiritual, eternal things).
Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near (ask for fruit of His Spirit).
Do not be anxious about anything (present your requests).
From there, I’d encourage you to continue through verses 8 and 9:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Think about such things (fix your thoughts back on the “good”)
Put it into practice (ask for obedience and strength).
And the God of peace will be with you.
I can testify that starting my day like this for the past several weeks has transformed my thought-life throughout the day. When anxiety tries to rear its ugly head, my spirit whispers “rejoice.” When things don’t go my way, again I hear “rejoice.” I am learning first-hand, as I pray you do, that the joy of the Lord truly is our strength.
PRAYER
Outline above to guide your prayer time.