This week we had a guest speaker for one of our Equip Sunday sermons. The guest this time was Brent Leatherwood, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Philippians 4:4-9

Many of us feel anxious about certain things. The economy. The election. Work. School. We all experience anxiety and worry at some point for some reason. That's okay. It means we are plugged into what's happening and are sympathetic towards it. 

How can we lessen this anxiety and keep it from becoming debilitating?

1. Begin by rejoicing. … God has given us an audience. We can go to Him for anything. That alone is enough reason to rejoice. 
2. Bring your worries to God. … We are told not to worry. Easy, right? Haha, no. How are we to not worry? Fortunately, Paul tells us: we are to bring our worries and concerns to God. When we bring them to Him, He grants us peace. We are able to exchange our anxieties for a peace beyond understanding. This peace isn't a promise for an easy life. It is a sense of calm even in the midst of a storm. There will still be difficulties, but we can remain composed in the knowledge that God is with us in every situation. 
3. Dwell on what is good. … Paul gives a list of good things to focus on. When we give our attention to something, it works its way inside us. If we contemplate what gives us anxiety, it will create a well of worry. But when we put our thoughts on more commendable things, peace grows inside. 

These are truths most of us have heard before, but sometimes we forget them, so it's important for us to be reminded of them.