Anti-Stress Medcine (Day 6)

Friends, Romans, Youths, lend me your ears!

Hi everyone, today's devotional topic is do not be anxious. Coincidently the author of today's devotion is me so I guess I have a lots to share.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6

Philippians 4:6 is a verse close to my heart and God has used it to speak to me a number of times. Hopefully you will find it speaks to you when you are anxious or troubled as well.

Back in feb 2007 I was in Cambodia for a mission trip with TRACkers and the "O" level results were being released on the 2nd last day of the mission trip. I remember I was busy pacing up and down the room where the rest of the mission team was working on and English language curriculum for the Cambodian kids. My team leader was getting irritated at my uncharacteristic lack of calm. (many people tell me that I'm very calm and coolheaded) She sent me off to the bunk with my bible to pray and commit the results to God. So I went of to the room and started pacing there. As I sat in the room and opened my bible to Philippians, I had in mind to read Philippians 4:13 which was like the theme verse for the Cambodian mission team. But as I flipped to the page, instead of reading 4:13, my eyes happened to wander to 4:6. I was shocked. It seemed to me that the verse had been intended to me at that moment. Well, reading the verse didn't really help but doing what it said did. The instant I said amen my heart was settled, my anxiety left me and peace filled my heart. (when i got the results by phone i learnt that i out did my wildest expectations. just goes to prove that if you honour God, God will honour you) Could I rationalise it? Of course not. It was a peace that transcends all understanding just as promised.

The other time God used the verse to calm my heart was at the youth camp that same year. Although I still had poly classes on the 1st 2 days of camp I decided not to attend them as I was one of the commandants that year. On the afternoon of the 1st day camp, I got a message from my classmate saying that to pass a certain subject I had to get 80% on the final exam. It was like a 100kilo weight had been dropped on my shoulders. (later i found out he was lying and i only needed 70% to pass) I tried to shove it to the deepest darkest corner of my mind and concentrate on doing my job as camp commandant but the weight was still there and anxiety was still bugging me in my quiet moments. On the last night of camp I couldn't take it anymore and shared this burden with my camp devotion group. They prayed for me and encouraged me and I felt a bit better. It helped that the burden was now shared but it was still there and it continued to bug me through out that night. In the morning I received a encouragement card from a sister in Christ. In it she shared the verse Philippians 4:6. I was reminder of how I had presented my worries and anxiety to God and was filled with peace. It was like God was saying, "Why worry? I'm in charge of everything. Did you forget of how I carried you through earlier this year?" Again my heart was at rest when I was reminded that I know the one who holds tomorrow. (i didn't pass the subject in the end but at least i was peaceful failing it. don't be like me=)

To end off I will leave you with a saying I saw on TV mobile on thursday on the way home from poly: "I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow"(this also brings to mind the hymn "My God Is Real" but i can't seem to find a youtube video)


Stay cool
In His love and mine

Daniel

P.S. the video was cute