Anxiety is an increasingly common experience in our world. Around the world there are rumors of war, or threats to safety and security. We experience high levels of conflict and change across cultures, and in our personal lives. We wonder about our safety, the security of our children, and what the future might look like.

And if we’re not careful, our thoughts can easily lead us into anxiety. We can be swept into the spiral of over-thinking and worry.

God tells us something different. He tells us to submit everything to Him in prayer. To submit something to God in prayer is to recognize that He is the creator and director of history, and He alone has the power to protect us and direct our lives.

If we’re careful to guard our thoughts and submit them to God, God says that He will give us His peace. The peace of God surpasses all of our understanding because it transcends our anxious and changing world.

Having God’s peace doesn’t mean that we won’t have times where we feel anxious. But even in the most anxious of times, we can rest in the assurance that God is with us, and He is more powerful than our anxiety. When we offer God our thoughts and circumstances, we allow Him to step in. We allow Him to transform the ways we think and act. We allow His peace to come and guard our hearts and minds.

The truth is, we don’t have the power to change our thoughts or circumstances—only God does. When we try to take control, we often worsen the spiral of anxiety and worry. But we don’t have to stay in that place. We can bring our concerns to God, and allow Him to give us His peace in return. Over time, we will discover that His peace has empowered us to think and act differently.

Every time you find yourself anxious, take a moment to pause and pray. Be honest with God and tell Him exactly how you’re feeling and thinking in that moment. Remember that God is always in control, and always present with you.

A Prayer of Thanks for God’s Peace

• God, by Your grace, You have offered me a relationship with You. I can be known by You, and I can know You. Thank You for giving me peace that extends beyond my feelings and circumstances. Thank You for protecting my heart and mind from becoming overwhelmed by what’s happening around me. Because of You, I can have peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.