As a mom, is life without worrying possible? How can we obey when God tells us not to be anxious for anything?

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 4:6-7, NLT)

Our go-to move as moms tends to be worry. When our children are young, we worry about whether they will ever walk, talk or potty train.  When they start school, we worry about their grades, friends and safety. When they are teenagers, we worry about them driving, making wise moral choices and standing firm in their faith as they grow in their independence. No matter what season of life we are in, the temptation to worry seems to be constant.  The good news is, God has a better plan for our thought life! He does not want us to be bound in fear, anxiety and worry. The even better news is that God not only tells us not to worry, but He also gives us helpful instructions about what we can engage our hearts and minds in instead.

When worry starts to creep into our thinking, God wants us to immediately bring the issue to Him in prayer.  You can be honest with God about whatever it is that is stressing you out. The Bible says to tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. I love this! When my prayer and thought life are solely focused on what I need, I rarely experience peace. On the other hand, when I talk to God about what I need AND take the time to thank Him for all that He has already done, my worry genuinely begins to dissipate. As we take the time to recount all of God's blessings and faithfulness in the past, we are assured that He has not left us alone or lost control of whatever it is that we are worried about in the present. As we view our current need in light of His past and present faithfulness, we experience peace. The Bible calls it a peace that exceeds anything we can understand. Doesn't that sound wonderful!

What are you being tempted to worry about right now? Turn toward your heavenly Father, pour your heart out to Him, talk to Him about what you need and take some time to thank Him for all that He has done for you. Peace will guard your heart and mind as you let Christ, rather than your fears, become your focus.