A Prayer about What to Do with Anxiety

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil 4:5-6

Ever-present Lord,

In these troubling days, 

Thank you for this reminder of what to do with our anxiety:

Pray. Get on our knees. Lift our hands. 

(In our day and age, we might add, 

“For starters, power down the screen 

and quit scrolling.”)

As we turn our minds away from the headlines 

that seek to captivate us

and turn toward you in prayer,

naming our every need, 

remembering that you are with us 

and will help us, what happens?

Our minds ease.

Who is near?

The Lord who made heaven and earth. 

The Lord who walked the earth as Jesus. 

The Lord who fed the multitudes and ate with them, 

The Lord who healed the sick and raised the dead.

As we begin to list all of the ways 

we are thankful for you, what happens?

Your peace descends.

The peace of rest that comes when we trust in you.

The peace of reconciliation that Christ won for us.  

The peace of shalom that you are restoring now and will fully restore one day.

Today and every day, Lord,

May we combat our anxiety 

with your powerful weapons:

prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. 

In Jesus’ praying name. Amen.

Read Philippians 4.