How to Stop Worrying and Find Peace

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These days our minds and hearts are full or worry and anxiety, yet God tells us to be anxious for nothing! Worry is the opposite of faith. It is borrowing tomorrow’s trouble today. God promised grace today for the troubles of today and grace for tomorrow for the troubles of tomorrow. When we use today’s grace to handle today and tomorrow, it will never feel like enough! Let’s turn to God’s Word in Philippians 4:6-9 to figure out how to stop worrying.

Through Paul, God tells us, “Do not be anxious 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 surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Jesus himself said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 NKJV

So when anxiety starts to creep in our minds subtly or overtly, how can we stop worrying?

This acronym, shared by my husband (who is also my pastor), can help us remember what to do when we are being consumed by worry.

How to S.T.O.P. Worrying and Experience Peace

S: Seek God in prayer about everything (Philippians 4:6)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication . . .”

Instead of making prayer a last resort, go to God as soon as you begin to feel anxious about anything, big or small. Anything that is a concern to you is worth prayer. God is your Heavenly Father who wants you to talk to Him. He is always ready to listen and answer.

T: Trust God through prayers of thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made know to God.

Thank God with faith that He will hear and answer your prayer. Also, find something to be thankful for in your situation. For example, if you are anxious about your kids’ education, thank Him for giving them capable minds to learn what He desires them to know.

Thanks-living helps shift our focus.

O: Open your mind to that which comes from God

Philippians 4:8 tells us what kinds of things to think about.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8 NKJV

Replace anxious thoughts with thoughts of things of God. Instead of all of the “what ifs” that go through our minds, remember the “what’s good.” God is good, even when I can’t understand His ways. He has given us many good things to dwell on.

“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” II Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

Make our thoughts obedient to Christ. Preach the words of scripture to ourselves over and over. Remember who we are in Christ and His great love for us.

“The key to fighting this battle is stopping, pausing and opening our minds to that which comes from God. That’s why the ‘O’ is critical in this whole picture. So STOP—seek God in prayer about everything, trust God through prayers of thanksgiving, and open your mind to that which is from God. That’s where the battle is raging.” Pastor David Hays

These songs to help overcome fear can point us to God’s truth.

P: Practice the Word of God.

“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 ESV

Paul boldly tells his reader and us to practice what we see in him. We must put into practice all we know from Scriptures. Studying and memorizing God’s Word is so vital, but it will not change our lives until we put into practice.

Not those who just hear God Word are like the wise man who built his house on a rock, but those who put it into practice. Only through living out what we believe can we stand through all the things that bring worry and anxiety into our lives. (Matthew 7:24-27)

““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 ESV

What happens when we S.T.O.P. worrying with these steps?

1. We will experience the peace of God, an otherworldly peace that surpasses all understanding, in our mind, heart and life.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 ESV

2. We will know the God of peace. We will not only experience this gift of peace from God, but we will also know God, the giver of Peace. We will not just know Him, but enjoy Him, being secure and satisfied in Him and by Him.

“practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9b ESV

Oh, dear friend, we have so much to worry about, but God does not want us to live in anxiety and fear! Let’s practice these things so we can know how to STOP worrying and experience the peace of God in the midst of life’s challenges.

While we are in the world, but not of the world (John 17:14-16), let us cast our cares on Him for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We cannot bear our heavy burdens alone.

Remember, God is enough, but He has also given you brothers and sisters in Christ to help carry your burdens. Ask you take your worries to God, ask your church family to carry them to God for you as well. We are also to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).