My car wouldn’t start, but I wasn’t concerned when I called my mechanic, assuming the problem wasn’t too serious. Unfortunately, I was wrong. For some unknown reason, the engine had cracked, and repairing it would cost more than the car’s value. All I could do was sell my beloved Toyota for parts and adjust to being without a vehicle. 

Life has a way of stirring up storms of all kinds whenever we think the waters are smooth. I’ll admit that, in the grand scheme of things, my car situation was relatively minor. There are so many worse events that can happen. But it nonetheless caused me a certain amount of stress and fear, robbing me of my peace. 

Whenever I feel my anxiety level rise—which doesn’t take much to do—I turn to a favorite passage I learned in my youth, which helps restore my peace of mind. 

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul gives us the recipe for overcoming the fears that can easily overwhelm us. He starts by telling us not to be anxious about anything. Obviously, that’s easier said than done, and if he had stopped here, his words would not have been helpful. But he goes on to point out the secret to accomplishing his instruction: we replace our fears with prayer and thanksgiving. 

Turning to God with our concerns is the key to defeating anxiety. As we pray—begging the Lord to intervene and giving the situation over to Him—faith and trust gradually replace our anxious thoughts. Before we know it, the Lord’s peace fills our minds. 

Paul describes this peace in two ways. First, it doesn’t make sense because the problem is still with us. God’s peace doesn’t depend on a resolution to the situation; it comes to us even before that happens. And second, it acts as a shield, guarding our hearts against the enemy’s destructive attacks (i.e., lies). 

So, whenever I feel that life has slapped me in the face—as with the demise of my car—I follow Paul’s advice in Philippians, and God’s peace fills and sustains me.