It was the end of a near perfect day. We had spent a glorious fall day in the beautiful Allgäu region of Germany, touring stunning castles and marveling at the beauty of the landscape. That’s when my phone chimed, alerting me about a new message. As I stopped for a moment to check the content, I was stunned and immediately alarmed.
My physician had repeatedly tried to reach me. Lab tests, from a routine checkup had revealed 
abnormal results. Suddenly, my mind began to play a movie script of what if’s!
What if I have a serious illness?
What if it is something incurable?
What if it requires expensive surgery, a long recovery, and causes a severe change of living conditions?
What if I am unable to return to my place of service? Will my wife be taken care of, if I don’t have long to live? etc. etc.
I quickly realized that I wasn’t the emotional rock I thought I was. Instead I recognized my tendency to become an emotional wreck over the unknowns.
What do you do in situations like that?
I remembered the familiar words of Psalms 23 that I memorized and pray almost daily. …the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack anything…even though I walk through darkness, He is right there with me!
Calling these words to mind did not immediately calm my anxious thoughts, but the assurance of the Shepherd’s presence with me, taking care of me whatever may come, was encouraging.
Why am I sharing this deeply personal story?
Perhaps you can identify with it because you had a similar experience. I am happy to share that a detailed follow up exam revealed that my worries and “what if’s” were unwarranted. I was given a clean bill of health. The initial concern only pointed to a minor issue, which doesn’t even require treatment.
In the letter to the Followers of the Jesus way in the ancient city of Philippi, Paul, the apostle wrote these words:
…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 transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ; (Phil. 4:6-7)
With these words, proven in the furnace of a life of turmoil, Paul gave us as near as an equation to peace as possible:
Anxious about nothing + Prayer about everything + Thanksgiving in anything = Peace
The Importance of Perspective
Thank you for reminding us of clinging to God’s truths. Good article too. : )