Monday 19 May 2014

Be care-ful for nothing

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4.6-7

I know this verse well because it is one that I find myself constantly needing to apply to my life. It is one that after 40 years of salvation I still find a challange.

'Be careful for nothing' the King James translated this verse. This is one of those places where I wish we English speakers had held on to an old word. The newer translations have things like 'be anxious for nothing' or 'don't worry about anything' but I really like the old meaning of 'careful.' When I use it down I usually hyphenate it this way - 'be care-ful for nothing.' It simply means don't be full of cares.

That seems like a pretty basic lesson. The Bible says elsewhere that we should cast all our cares upon Christ because He is already caring about us and He is a lot more careful carer that I am. Jesus tells us to cast our burdens on Him. 

So why am I full of cares?

This verse seems to say that I am care-ful because I am not thankful. When I am thankful I am acknowledging the great God who meets my needs and I am trusting Him with the results.

So the key to not being care-ful is praying in faith and submission and doing so with a thankful spirit.

And what is the result when we commit our cares to him and pray with thanksgiving?

The peace of God that passes all human understanding will guard our hearts and minds. That peace is so precious and it is so available. All I really have to do is get myself out of the way and stop trying to think that I can sort these things out on my own.


God is love and He loves us. He wants our worries and cares and burdens. Why do we persist in carrying them around with us? 

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