Peace Instead of Worry and Anxiety

March 1st, 2026
by Bill Berger

I had a counsellor described anxiety to me like this: It means continually living your life “on edge.” In limbo. From worry to worry. Fear to fear. Panic to panic. The guard is constantly up. Terrified of letting anyone in. Petrified of opening yourself to new and uncomfortable
experiences and situations. Always waiting for the next “what-if” to come
to fruition.

Many people suffer from anxiety/worry, or a form of it. It seems like an epidemic
in the US, so many people worrying about things beyond their control, waiting for
an outcome that may never happen.

Jesus knew we needed to hear this; he constantly reminded his hearers: ‘Do not
worry,’ ‘Do not be afraid.’ And yet, we ignore this counsel and allow our blood
pressure to rise, and our hearts to beat out of our chests.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us to realize the peace of God in spite of our
circumstances.

In Philippians 4:6-7 he says: ⁶Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. ⁷And the
peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and
minds [a] in Christ Jesus.

Here are three encouragements to get the peace we need:

First, Paul tells us to rejoice. The fact that he says it twice is a clue for us to see how important it is to first realize that God is worthy of our rejoicing simply because of who he is. This is the kind of joy that can only be anchored in God, and it is stable, never changing. It is powerful coming from Paul, a person who endured an incredible amount of suffering, pain, and death! And yet, he acknowledges that no circumstance or situation is beyond God’s ability to help. A reason to rejoice to be sure.

Second, we are encouraged to be reasonable. A reasonable person is fair and never insists on their own rights. Since Paul is writing to the Church, that is us, he encourages this characteristic to be evident to all who observe. When I get anxious, I tend not to be reasonable or fair. Because I am scared or insecure, I get grumpy or short with people. This is what Paul is talking about. This is the sobering reminder to us all that God understands life is unpredictable and filled with worries. After all, he was human; he knew what it was like. It is this characteristic that helps displace anxiety and worry, beginning to settle us into peace.

Third, (4:6), Here is where Paul gets practical. This command is negative, but it has a positive twist: “Do not be anxious about anything.” This is not unfamiliar to Paul. Possibly, he heard Jesus speak about anxiety in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:25–34), where Jesus gives a list of the most common things that give us anxiety in this life. They are: physical (v. 27); clothing (v. 28); food and drink (v. 31); and the future (v. 34). It’s unfortunate that even those capable of obtaining these things still experience worry and anxiety. However, Paul encourages that worry and anxiety can be eased: “but in everything by prayer,” prayer alleviates anxiety. The key point of the verse is crucial: prayer should be offered “with thanksgiving.” An attitude of gratitude is the stance we adopt when approaching the Father for anything and everything.

Finally, (4:7) The answer to anxiety and worry is the peace of God. This is a divine peace.; it is not dependent on circumstance or merit, It is a peace that is given to all who believe. Next, it “transcends all understanding.” How appropriate for all of us to realize the limits of knowledge. And Paul, the scholar, tells us that peace exceeds knowledge. All of us can describe times when knowledge wasn’t enough; it couldn’t explain “why.” And sometimes those explanations come up short. It is peace that is ALWAYS enough to meet the needs of the heart.
This peace will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I like
how scholars describe this verse: “’Guard’ is a military term, implying that peace
stands on duty to keep out anything that brings care and anxiety.”

It would then seem right to say that prayerful people are peaceful people.

Listen to Episode 184 - The Freedom of I Don't Know

Reflective Questions:

When anxiety rises in you, what are you most trying to control — yourfuture, your reputation, your security, or something else?
How might gratitude change the tone of your prayers this week?
What would it look like for you to live as if God’s peace were actively guarding your heart today?
What bible verse or quote do you turn to for peace?

Posted in Anxiety, Faith and Politics, Peace, prayer, Worry