Do Not Be Anxious

HOLY WEDNESDAY • April 8, 2020

By Gary Toh, Director of Prayer Ministry

"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." (Philippians 4:6,7)

I went to Costco early one morning and found an already long line of people waiting outside to enter. I had to wait patiently in this line that was probably a block-long as I needed to get some basic necessities, like rice, toilet paper, and Spam. Not to hoard, but simply because we had run out of them. But Costco ran out of all these items too.

I was so disappointed that I could not find what I was looking for, and I started to get very anxious. I considered heading to other stores, like Walmart and Sam’s Club, to check if they had the supplies but I couldn’t decide because of my anxious state of mind. Eventually, I did go to a couple of places but could not find any of those items we needed.

I realized I was getting worried about not being able to get the essentials to provide for my family. With two teenagers at home on an extended Spring break, I had to figure out how to feed them and keep them occupied during this time. To be honest, I was getting into a state of worry, especially with what we are hearing and reading about the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising numbers of people who are infected and dying from it. 

It is only natural for us to be anxious about what is happening around us. We worry about how we are going to get access to food, medication, and other necessities. It is during these trying times that we can go to God.

The Bible says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation" go to God in prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. While we are practicing social distancing, we can still pray. We can lay down our burdens of all of our anxieties and worries with our Lord. We have our Lord who understands what we are going through. We can go to Him and trust Him with all our issues.

Scripture also says that the "peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." It is important to know that God can exchange our worries with His peace. This peace will be something that you may not comprehend yet it will protect your heart and mind. Especially during this Holy Week when we remember Jesus’s death and resurrection, we need that supernatural peace that can come only from God. We need Him to transform our hearts and minds. 

I am still looking for toilet paper and Spam, but I have a peace beyond all understanding. 

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