Welcome back to The Daily Fill Devotionals! Whether you’re reading this from our email distribution list, on our website or listening to the podcast version, we’re glad you chose to spend this part of your day with us.
As summer begins to wind down and the school year starts ramping up, we sometimes experience a season of stress, at least in my family. Getting the kids back on their early morning school schedule, figuring out rides, starting sports, remembering how to do homework, and then trying to get to bed at a decent hour can make for a stressful few weeks. If you start throwing other family dynamics, work stress, relational tensions, general change, and then a contentious election season on top of that, this is the recipe for anxiety.
This is why the words of our passage for today are so timely.
“Do not be anxious about anything…” (Philippians 4:6).
This week we’ll be looking at how this passage can be an antidote to anxiety. It is an invitation to CALM our hearts and center them on the love of Jesus.
Today, I’d simply like to introduce you to the ideas, and then throughout the rest of the week, our writers will be expounding on each of these topics utilizing the acronym C.A.L.M. This week, we want to invite you to…
C hoose joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (v. 4).
A sk God for help. “Let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6).
L eave your concerns with him. “With thanksgiving . . .” (v. 6).
M editate on good things. “Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise” (v. 8).
It’s my prayer that you and I can learn to CALM our hearts before the One who loves us and has a good plan for our lives. May you experience the joy and peace of knowing that we serve a God who wants to help you in your time of need.
Josh Rose
Family Pastor
Editor’s Note: The original C.A.L.M. acronym noted above was first introduced by Max Lucado in his 2017 book, Anxious for Nothing.