SCRIPTURE

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. - Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

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PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Anxiety and worry seem to be my go-to position. They are the first place I turn when things get confusing, unsettling, or when I feel out of control. Next time I start to worry, Holy Spirit, convict me to pray, to sense your presence, and to let your peace calm my soul. Your peace can displace any worry I allow into my life, if I just remember to invite you in and let you fill me. I surrender my worries for the day, Lord, and ask for your shalom, your perfect wholeness, as you work everything out for good. Be the center of my life, today and every day.

In Christ’s name,

Amen.

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JOURNAL REFLECTION

When you get unsettling news, or things feel out of control, do you turn to worry or prayer? What would change in your life if you let petition and praise shape your worries into prayers instead of continuing to hold onto the worry? What can you turn into prayer today?

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CALL TO ACTION

When things feel out of control in our lives, it’s easy to let go of God’s hand and try to put everything back in order ourselves. We can let worry flood into our lives instead of turning to God in prayer and asking for the peace only he can offer us. Today, read the devotion, “Christ in Control,” and ask God to remind you of his presence when you experience anxiety and worry.