When fear is on the rise, pray it down

Philippians 4:6-8, pray, fear, what if, if only

Two of the greatest paralyzers to living a life of faith, to living life fully, is found in the ‘What if…’ and ‘If only…’ These two phrases grip our spiritual muscles and tighten a hold with possibilities we can see.

What if… If only…

Philippians 4:6-8, pray, fear, what if, if onlyThey stun our steps forward with anticipation of what might happen and consequently keep us from doing what God has called us to do.

In this moment of swirling thoughts, here is a gentle reminder to surrender those fears in prayer and invite peace in by filling up on ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life’.

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 NIV

When the feeling of fear arises, do not entertain the ‘what if’s’ or engage with the possibilities of ‘if only’. Exchange it for an opportunity to pray.

We have a human tendency to rehash the situation, replay words and overthink outcomes in our mind, so when you have finished giving your fears to God, control the course of your mind by thinking on God’s Truths. Put your thoughts in their place.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

Trisha Keehn is a creative writer fueled by a lifetime of faith. She is part of the Life.Church and YouVersion Bible App creative writing team, and uses her broadcast news background to help companies choose their words wisely. Trisha is a wife, mom, coffee connoisseur, lover of libraries, and a savvy traveler.

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.