Insight + Action Words: Pray

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

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 Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

Pray is an action word.  It may be a quiet action word, but it is definitely an action word. Prayer immediately puts the proper perspective in front of us as we go to God with requests that are beyond our control. Philippians 4 is an excellent instruction about the purpose and power of prayer. As I reflected on this passage, I found myself asking reflective questions to refine my prayers. Perhaps these questions can help you…

• Do I rejoice in the Lord always? Am I keeping the perspective of God being in control in front of my circumstances? How would changing my perspective open the way to rejoicing always?
• Is my gentleness evident to all? What does my gentleness or the gentleness of the church show those around me? Does it show that the Lord is near or something else?
• How anxious am I? What am I anxious about? Have I presented these concerns to God? Am I thankful in these requests? Why or why not?
• What areas of my life does the peace of God not guard my heart and mind? What areas or concerns does anxiety rule?  

There are some additional instructions after verse 7 that I believe help us to view and act out of a hope in God. The author of Philippians, Paul, encourages us to change our viewpoint by thinking about proper things. This adjustment of our viewpoint impacts our prayer action.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

• TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRABLE, EXCELLENT, PRAISEWORTHY – Am I thinking about such things?
• A note of warning, right now people have very different perspectives of what is true. My suggestion is if you thinking about something that is true, but it is not excellent of praiseworthy, maybe this is the source of your anxiety?

I hope these questions help you combine insight and action. You can reflect and pray and be transformed. Changing your viewpoint can be as simple as changing the direction you look.