I'm anxious, I'm anxious not, I'm anxious, I'm anxious not... I'm anxious...

This morning's message was an eye opener. It came from the book of Philippians, where Paul was talking about being encouraging, not arguing, and what have you. He's encouraging us to be like minded. This doesn't mean we're clones of each other, but rather, have all come to understand the Gospel from God's P.O.V, not our own. Therefore, we'll be like minded in our understanding. Towards the end of chpt 2, he's telling the folks that he really needs to send Epaphroditus back to them, so they'd be blessed, and he himself would be less anxious. Now, how does that compare to Philippians 4, where it tells us to be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, we're to make our requests known to God. So, on one hand, Paul is saying "....by doing this I hope to be less anxious"... and then a few paragraphs later, he's saying, "Be not anxious for anything". I suspect that Paul knew good and well what it's like to be anxious. Don't we all? Is it something weird to be anxious? No..perfectly normal. Perfectly NOT desirable, but normal. There are going to come times when we're going to 'wonder' about what the future holds--our jobs...families...finances; and even not in a big picture but 'little' things like, "Will I get to the phone company before it closes to pay the bill?" "Am I going to run out of gas before I find a gas station?" little ordinary things that beset us. Those are the things Paul is helping us through. 

Paul wasn't preaching only to 'us' in that verse--he was also giving himself some encouragement. When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, then the things of this world, will grow strangely dim--in the light of his glory and grace!

Anxious? Welcome to humanity. Want to NOT be anxious? With prayer and thanksgiving, let it be known to God. 

Have a great week!

Lisa