Do not be anxious about anything!

The apostle Paul despite sitting in a prison cell in Philippi chained to two Roman soldiers was able to write the following incredible words:

"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."

Personally speaking I do struggle with anxiety. I tend to be a worrier. Whether its moving house, getting a new job, my car passing the annual MOT. However, in this passage Paul is saying not to be anxious about anything. How was Paul able to say this when humanly speaking he was in dire straits?

It seems that the key is in the first part of the passage, "Rejoice in the Lord always." Paul makes sure that his focus was on the Lord and not the problem. That does not take away the problem but it ensures that he gets his priorities right. It's so easy to focus on the problem instead of on God. In fact Paul tells us to "Rejoice" twice, just in case we missed it the first time! In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, which we call the Lord's prayer, the phrase "Hallowed be your name" comes before our needs are brought to God. Let's endeavour with God's help to focus on Him rather than on the problems we face.