Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to December!
And welcome to what is, for many, a stressful month. Sure, it should not be that way, but you know how it goes: Your calendar gets crowded with parties and appointments; you worry about going over budget; you gotta pick up that extra gift. You know as well as I do, that this is the season we celebrate the Prince of Peace. All should be peaceful where all is calm and all is bright. Right?
Well, let’s take a few minutes to take a quick look at what the apostle Paul has to say about stress, worry and anxiety… because he understood the problem. Don’t be thinking this man was a paragon of all virtue; no, even the great apostle struggled with anxious feelings. Now you might be thinking, Where’d you get that from, Joni?! Okay, don’t believe me, look at what Paul writes in Philippians chapter 2, starting with verse 28. He’s talking about sending Epaphroditus, his fellow worker, to the church in Philippi, and he writes the church and says, “Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and – here it comes -- I may have less anxiety.” Paul dealt with anxiety?! Well, you got the proof right there which makes what Paul has to say about anxiety a few chapters later all the more meaningful…
Because sure, Paul may have struggled with anxious feelings, but he doesn’t leave it there. He gives us the tools to deal with it. And what is his advice? You know it well. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” In other words, pray: All capital letters and underline it three times – pray, pray, pray it says in Philippians chapter 4, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” And there’s no better time than right now, during this Christmas season, to be reminded what the peace of God is all about. Because Paul is not saying that your circumstances will change; relieving you have anxiety, no, things around you will still make for much stress – no, we don’t find peace through a change of circumstances; we find peace in our stressful circumstances: the rock-solid peace of knowing that God is with you; He’s in charge; there’s no need for worry because you are safe and secure through your salvation in Christ. It’s believing that, it’s remembering that that makes all the difference.
So, friend, just what is it that’s troubling your heart? Remember, you’ve got a real confidante in the apostle Paul. But you also have a solution. It is to cast all your care on the Lord and go to Him in prayer, believing that He will give you His supernatural peace… the supernatural assurance, the reminder… the supernatural witness of the Holy Spirit bearing witness with your spirit that through Christ and Christ alone, there is peace. Oh, and speaking of things that can remind you of His peace, don’t forget to stop by my radio page today at joniandfriends.org after we’re done here – because today is your last day to get your free CD of Christmas Carols for a Kid’s Heart. Twelve beautiful Christmas carols sung by the sweetest voices you’d ever want to hear. Again, just ask for Christmas Carols for a Kid’s Heart at joniandfriends.org. Finally, join me in looking out over this new month, this beginning of the Christmas season – yes, there will be stressful times, but you have the Holy Spirit on your side, giving you heaven-sent peace for every problem.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
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Agoura Hills, CA 91376
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