Transforming Anxiety Through Prayer and Gratitude
Summary
In our series "Mental Makeover," we are exploring the transformative power of aligning our thoughts with God's truth. Today, we delve into Philippians 4:6-9, where Paul encourages us to not be anxious but to bring everything to God in prayer. Anxiety often stems from being pulled in different directions, torn between our current reality and our hopes for the future. Paul, who endured immense trials, teaches us that peace comes from practicing what he has learned: focusing on what is true, honorable, and praiseworthy.
The story of Ashley, a young girl facing her fears on a rock wall, illustrates the importance of focus and trust. Despite her anxiety, she learned to listen to guidance, trust the support system around her, and ultimately reach the top. This mirrors our spiritual journey, where we must fix our focus on God, trusting Him to guide us through life's challenges.
Prayer is our method for dealing with anxiety. It is not just about expressing our feelings to God but also asking Him to act and change our perspective. Gratitude should be our posture, as it shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have, fostering a mindset of thankfulness even in difficult times. Finally, we must make uplifting thoughts our habit, focusing on what is commendable and excellent, as this shapes our mindset and aligns us with God's peace.
Key Takeaways:
- Prayer as a Method: Prayer is not just about expressing our feelings but also about asking God to act and change our perspective. It helps us gain clarity and see things from God's viewpoint, reducing anxiety by aligning our thoughts with His truth. [19:16]
- Gratitude as a Posture: Gratitude shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have, fostering a mindset of thankfulness even in difficult times. It prevents our minds from wandering into negativity and helps us maintain a positive outlook. [27:18]
- Uplifting Thoughts as a Habit: Focusing on what is true, honorable, and praiseworthy shapes our mindset and aligns us with God's peace. This practice helps us combat anxiety by setting our minds on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [37:11]
- Trust in God's Guidance: Like Ashley on the rock wall, we must learn to trust God's guidance and the support system He provides. By focusing on His voice and direction, we can overcome our fears and reach new heights. [10:57]
- Anxiety and the Future: Anxiety often stems from being torn between our current reality and our hopes for the future. By making Jesus the focal point of our lives, we can find peace and clarity, trusting Him to take care of our future. [42:36]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:42] - Introduction to Mental Makeover
[02:59] - Understanding Anxiety
[03:37] - Paul's Encouragement
[05:22] - The Peace of God
[07:28] - Prayer and Focus
[08:12] - The Rock Wall Story
[10:57] - Lessons from Ashley
[12:01] - Overcoming Fear
[14:28] - Breakthrough and Doubt
[19:16] - Prayer as a Method
[20:26] - Definition of Anxiety
[23:24] - The Power of Prayer
[27:18] - Gratitude as a Posture
[31:01] - The Impact of Gratitude
[37:11] - Uplifting Thoughts as a Habit
[42:36] - Anxiety and the Future
[44:39] - Invitation to Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Mental Makeover
Bible Reading:
- Philippians 4:6-9
Observation Questions:
1. What specific instructions does Paul give in Philippians 4:6-9 about dealing with anxiety? How does he suggest we approach God with our concerns?
2. In the sermon, how does the story of Ashley on the rock wall illustrate the importance of focus and trust in overcoming anxiety? [08:12]
3. What are the qualities Paul encourages us to focus on in Philippians 4:8, and how do these qualities relate to experiencing God's peace?
4. How does the pastor describe the role of gratitude in managing anxiety, according to the sermon? [27:18]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How might Paul's personal experiences, as described in the sermon, lend credibility to his advice on finding peace through prayer and focus? [05:22]
2. What does the pastor mean when he says that prayer is not just about expressing feelings but also about asking God to act and change our perspective? [19:16]
3. How does the concept of being "pulled apart into different directions" help us understand the nature of anxiety, as discussed in the sermon? [20:26]
4. In what ways does the pastor suggest that gratitude can prevent our minds from wandering into negativity? [34:27]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt anxious about the future. How might focusing on prayer and gratitude, as suggested in the sermon, change your perspective on that situation? [23:24]
2. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle with anxiety. What steps can you take to make prayer your method for dealing with it, as Paul advises? [19:16]
3. Consider the qualities listed in Philippians 4:8. Which of these qualities do you find most challenging to focus on, and how can you incorporate them into your daily thought patterns?
4. The pastor shared a story about Ashley overcoming her fears on a rock wall. What support systems do you have in place to help you focus and trust in God during challenging times? [08:12]
5. How can you practice gratitude in your daily life, especially during difficult times, to shift your focus from what you lack to what you have? [27:18]
6. Think about a recent situation where you felt anxious. How can you apply the sermon’s teaching on making uplifting thoughts a habit to transform your mindset in similar future situations? [37:11]
7. The pastor mentioned the importance of keeping Jesus as the focal point of our lives. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure that Jesus remains at the center of your focus, especially when facing anxiety about the future? [42:36]
Devotional
Day 1: Prayer as a Transformative Practice
Prayer is not merely a ritual of expressing emotions; it is a transformative practice that invites God to change our perspective and align our thoughts with His truth. When we bring our anxieties to God in prayer, we open ourselves to His peace and clarity. This act of surrender allows us to see our circumstances from a divine viewpoint, reducing the grip of anxiety. By consistently engaging in prayer, we cultivate a mindset that is attuned to God's will and receptive to His guidance. [19:16]
"Do not be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2, ESV)
Reflection: What specific anxiety can you bring to God in prayer today, asking Him to change your perspective and align your thoughts with His truth?
Day 2: Gratitude as a Lens for Life
Gratitude is more than a fleeting feeling; it is a lens through which we view our lives. By focusing on what we have rather than what we lack, gratitude fosters a mindset of thankfulness, even in challenging times. This shift in focus prevents our minds from dwelling on negativity and helps us maintain a positive outlook. Embracing gratitude as a daily practice can transform our perception of life's circumstances, allowing us to see God's blessings in every situation. [27:18]
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify three things you are grateful for today. How can you express this gratitude to God and others in a tangible way?
Day 3: Cultivating Uplifting Thoughts
Our thoughts shape our reality, and by focusing on what is true, honorable, and praiseworthy, we align ourselves with God's peace. This practice of cultivating uplifting thoughts helps us combat anxiety and negativity. By intentionally setting our minds on things that are excellent and worthy of praise, we create a mental environment that is conducive to spiritual growth and inner peace. This habit not only transforms our mindset but also influences our actions and interactions with others. [37:11]
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8, ESV)
Reflection: What is one negative thought pattern you struggle with? How can you replace it with a thought that is true, honorable, or praiseworthy today?
Day 4: Trusting in God's Guidance
Trusting in God's guidance is essential for overcoming fear and anxiety. Like Ashley on the rock wall, we must learn to listen to God's voice and rely on the support system He provides. By focusing on His direction, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence and reach new heights. Trusting God requires us to let go of our fears and place our faith in His plan, knowing that He is with us every step of the way. [10:57]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God's guidance more fully? How can you take a step of faith in that area today?
Day 5: Finding Peace in the Present
Anxiety often arises from the tension between our current reality and our hopes for the future. By making Jesus the focal point of our lives, we can find peace and clarity in the present moment. Trusting Him to take care of our future allows us to release our worries and embrace the peace that surpasses understanding. This shift in focus helps us live fully in the present, confident that God holds our future in His hands. [42:36]
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34, ESV)
Reflection: What is one future concern that is causing you anxiety? How can you entrust this concern to Jesus and focus on finding peace in the present moment?
Quotes
Do not be anxious about anything. Sometimes I look at my kids and they're so nervous, but I know things that they don't know. And so they'll be nervous about things they should not be nervous about. And I'm like, hey, you don't got to be anxious. I know where we're going. Yeah, but how are we going to get there? Because I know where we're going. We're already preaching. Do not be anxious. Anxious about anything. This is a father telling his children, what are you worried about? Why are you so stressed out? You really think your heavenly father's like, I don't know where we're going here. But God, don't you see? Yeah, I don't know what we're going to do about this. You think God has ever rattled, shaken, confused, looked at your life and been like, I don't know what to do there. Look, over at Jesus and goes, they messed that up. That's beyond our control. That's beyond our repair. That's beyond our power. No, no, no, no. But in verse six, he says, don't be anxious about anything. It's easy to read, much harder to live, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God. [00:02:50] (86 seconds)
And this is what I felt the Lord tell me that night and I actually wrote it in one of my journal entries because it was so impactful for me he said it's crazy that the enemy will show up in the garden he'll show up at the cross but he will not stand at the empty grave so listen to me the enemy will show up at moments right before breakthrough so that he can cause cast doubt so that he can cause frustration so that he can create more anxiety so that right when you're about to hit a breakthrough in prayer or breakthrough in anxiety or breakthrough in life just walk up enough very calmly to cast enough doubt and he will be gone when it's time to celebrate some victory I said where'd he go I just looked around and I'm like this girl had so much anxiety but she watched how God had helped her give her the strength to continue to move forward here's something that I want you to know some things Ashley learned that I think we've got to learn if we want to know how to deal with anxious thoughts in order to deal with anxiety in order to deal with anxiousness we need to create some adjustments. [00:17:06] (75 seconds)
We're going to need people that are cheering us on, you're going to need counselors, you're going to need people that are calling out some blind spots, you're going to need some people that are going to pray and believe with you, you're going to need some coach that's going to help you know hey I've been where you've been here's some holds that you can do here's some places that you can go here's some shorefronts footing spots that you can put your feet because you're so afraid of falling or failing or losing. But let me encourage you to keep moving forward. But it's going to take, at the end of the day, Ashley making adjustments to get there. I can help you, but I can't climb it for you. And Paul is saying in Philippians, he's saying there's some adjustments that we have to do if we want to walk in the way and in the focus and in the clarity that God has for our lives. We got to fix our focus. And here's the first adjustment that Paul gives out of Philippians 4. I got to make prayer my method. I got to make prayer my method. [00:18:21] (68 seconds)
How do I deal with anxiety? You got to make prayer your method. Listen, there's a lot of different ways in which we can be coached and learn how to deal with anxious thoughts. But I'm telling you, when it comes to what scripture tells us, you go to counselor, seek all these things. There's a lot of resources, but don't seek all those resources and miss the one that scripture talks about. Prayer is the method. And so I'm going to meet with people and I'm going to get coaching. I'm going to get resources. I'm going to get help. I'm going to get help. I'm going to get But at the end of the day, Ashley knew she had prayed to God. And this is what Philippians says. He says, don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication. You know supplication. We use that word all the time. You're like, I kind of know prayer and supplication. Amen. It's a good one. Give it up for me. Give it up for God. Right? But what the scripture is saying there, and the reason why Paul says prayer and supplication, because prayer is to talk to God. [00:19:30] (68 seconds)
Supplication is to ask of God. So listen to me. It's not just telling God about how we feel. It's asking God to do something with how we feel. Make prayer the method. I'm going to pray. I'm going to talk to God. But I'm also going to pray in such a way that I'm also going to ask God to do something with how we feel. Ask him, what are you doing here? What is your perspective? Can you take this away? Would you change it? Would you give me a different perspective? Because prayer begins to reshape and shape and change how we feel. You know why so many times we get anxious? Here's the definition of anxious. Are you ready? To be pulled apart into different directions. Think about that for a second. Why do we feel anxious? Because we're pulled apart into multiple directions. Why do we feel anxious? Because we're pulled apart by the different directions. We're conflicted. I want to go to the top of the mountain, but I'm too afraid to go there. Pulled in different directions. [00:20:37] (65 seconds)
Because prayer helps me to see clearly. You know what anxiety looks like? It looks like this. When we can't see a way forward or when we can't see what's coming up, we get anxious. But then what prayer starts to do is you say, God, I need your perspective. I need to understand what you're seeing. God, I may not know what's going to happen in my future. But I know who holds my future. And because you're in the future and the past and the present. And even though I might be worried that my past may try to repeat itself in my future. And even though I've got anxious because I lost funds before, I may not have enough now. And even though my first marriage didn't work out, I'm really worried that my second one's not going to work out. All of a sudden when we pray and we start talking to God, there gets this clarity in prayer. So where does anxiety come from? Well, it's because I have no idea what I'm looking at. I don't wear glasses. My wife does. [00:24:02] (84 seconds)
He's saying, I raised some victors. You're my kid. Watch how I can shape you and change you and take that thing that hurt you and shape it into something new. So prayer, prayer is going to be the method, but gratitude becomes the posture because it tells me how I pray. See, I don't pray just going like, God, you know, I don't like this, and this really stinks, and I don't, this is very frustrating, and like, I didn't even ask for a wife, but you gave her to me. You know what I mean? I mean, I did ask, but like, I didn't know what I was asking for at the time, and it was great, but she's changed as if the goal of life is to remain the same. My kid's seven now. He doesn't run up and go, Daddy, you're home, like he did when he was three. Yeah, he's changed. We change. But gratitude becomes our posture because instead of praying, God, this is really bad. I need you to change it. It becomes like this, God, I don't know what you're going to do here, but you really have a problem. [00:29:02] (84 seconds)
Start praying. Listen, if things are going to trigger my anxiety, it might as well trigger me to pray. If things are going to trigger my anxiety, it might as well trigger me to pray. I call it duping the enemy. He comes over, that anxiety gets triggered. Well, if every time I start to learn, we're going to talk about patterns next week, but if I start to learn that this pattern of anxiety starts creating a trigger to pray, guess who's going to back off? Can you imagine if every time the enemy messed with you, it pushed you closer to God? He's going to leave you alone. Why? His sole objective is to get you further from him. So if we use his tools and weapons against us, and we allow that to draw us into the presence of God, not only do we get clarity, but we also begin to set and fix our life. And then the last thought, this is the last adjustment. We're going to make prayer the method. We're going to have gratitude be the posture, but here's the last adjustment. Ready? Make uplifting thoughts my habit. [00:36:05] (65 seconds)
Philippians 4, 8 through 9. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Read that list again. Honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable. Why does it matter where we set our mind? Because it shapes our mind. Why does it matter what feeds us? Because what feeds us is either going to be truthful and honorable and just and pure and lovely and commendable and excellent or it's not. If there's anything worthy of praise, Paul says, think about these things. Fix your mind on these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. This is some good news for somebody right here. Practice these things. Grateful. That he doesn't say do and know and grab a hold of and expert. No, he's at practice. Why? Because you're going to leave, you're going to be like, oh, man, the camera went like, that was crazy. And Monday, anxiety is going to be off the charts. [00:37:11] (77 seconds)
She'd put her hands like this, which I realized during worship, I do the same thing, not because she taught me, but because you just pick up what feeds you. And I was like this and she, she would get into the row. She would stand in the middle of worship and she would just put her hands like this and every time, thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. I heard my mom pray that prayer. The most consistent prayer I've ever, I haven't heard most of what comes out of her mouth in prayer, but I heard that one every single week.
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