Greetings! It’s good to be with you on this Thursday. I’m glad we can continue our work together in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Thursdays are a “highlight” in our week. Today we review our notes, listen for God’s leadings, and draft a message to bring in worship.
This week in our series, “Prepare with Prayer”, we are exploring a very practical aspect of prayer. How do we use prayer when we are “stressed out” to “center in” to God’s peace? What does that mean? What does that look like?
Our guiding text has been Philippians 4:6-7. The Apostle says, “Don’t worry about anything. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God…”
So what might our message be for Sunday? Here are my “talking points”.
Stress is a certainty in our lives. It comes with the challenges and changes of life.
At one level, stress can be good. It helps us to stay energized and engaged in whatever we’re doing. Where we get into trouble is when we have too much stress for too long. When we get “stressed out” that is detrimental for us and others.
So how do we know when we’re at a point of “too much stress for too long”? We have an early warning indicator light on our personal dashboard of life. Our warning light is “worry”.
“Worry” lets us know fear is creeping in as part of our reaction to stress. Worry alerts us to pay attention and to act upon our source of stress.
When we don’t address our stress, fear doesn’t go away. Instead fear grows and builds. There is a path we walk if we don’t act. The path progresses like this: worry, being anxious, living in anxiety, panic.
At times we all find ourselves on different points in this path. We all have “walked it” to differing degrees.
As we walk this path we know it is “not good”. It’s not good for our physical, mental, emotional or relation health. It’s not good for others.
When we find ourselves “out there” (stressed out), how do we de-stress?
Exercise, deep breathing, talking with others (friends or therapists) are all good ways. But a particularly powerful way to lessen stress we have as a people of faith is Prayer!
In prayer we face into our fear with faith. We give our worry “wings”. We turn our cares into prayers.
Prayer brings God into the picture (of our stress) as a partner.
In prayer we experience God as a loving parent with whom we can share the specifics of our stress. Sharing those specifics is called “supplication”.
Even as we share those specifics (engage in supplication) we do so, not as a recitation of all that is wrong, but with thanksgiving. We couple each specific stressor with a corresponding “thank you” to God.
This process of praying with supplication and thanksgiving brings us into the “Peace of God”. Even though this Peace “surpasses understanding” (verse 7), we experience it in lower blood pressure, calmed nerves, and collected thoughts. The very Lord who said “Be Still” to the sea is pronouncing that same blessing upon our soul.
Approaching daily life from that calm, collected center is powerful and positive. As the Apostle says in verse 7 Christ keeps our “hearts” and “minds” in that peace. In that center of God’s peace our emotions are steady and our decisions are healthier.
As we walk this path of prayer we will know the truth of this text:
“Don’t worry about anything. But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
This is how the message is “shaping up” for me. Of course on Sunday it will be expanded and enriched, but this is the basic plan.
What message is coming forward for you? How is the Spirit speaking to your mind and heart out of this Scripture? Make sure you take time to jot down a few of your own “talking points”. They are ways God is guiding you through the Biblical word.
I’m glad to work with you today in crafting the message. I look forward to Saturday when we “pray” over it and Sunday as we proclaim it.
In anticipation of those future blessings, I’ll let you and God get to work today in your personal workshop!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for your Biblical word which guides us into how we can live this day more fully and faithfully. Thank you for the way you provide for us to “de-stress” and “center” in you through prayer. Let this blessing not only be a message for Sunday but a practice for everyday. This we pray in the the name of the One who is our Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord.