Anxious? No, not me!

"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 4:6-7

If you've been around the church much, you've more than likely heard this verse.  It's one that has really helped me out.  But, I mean, it says to be anxious about NOTHING.  Nothing?  Really?

Yes, nothing.  I thought about sitting here and making the excuse that there's some level of healthy anxiety.  I thought about using the example that before big volleyball games (for me) or any kind of competition, there's something wrong if the athlete DOESN'T feel some sort of anxiety.  But I can't rightfully say that, because that would be tweaking God's Word.

Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians while he was in prison.  If anyone had a right to be anxious, he did.  Instead, he wrote with a spirit of joy, and he found this as an opportunity for sharing the gospel...from prison!

Maybe nervous means something different than anxious.  Maybe it's okay that I'm a bit nervous.  I mean, I don't think Jesus was particularly EXCITED to be hung on a cross and to feel the wrath of God for our sins.  He seemed pretty distressed, actually, if that's the right word.  Jesus was perfect, but he was human.  He was a perfect human.  Granted, that was a lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot different than me going to the Philippines for four months.  So I don't know.  I think I'll talk to my dad about this topic tomorrow :)

Anyway, here I am, so very extremely excited to go serve God, and for the most part that's just it!  Excited!  I know God has my back.  He's in me, with me, behind me, before me, beside me.  The little bit of nervousness is there in the back of my mind.  My fallen human nature wants to think of the "what ifs."  But I shouldn't.  I want to have the spirit of Paul.  "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."  Philippians 1:21.  Whoa.  What's the worst that can happen?  I die?  I don't think that's going to happen in the next few months, but there's only joy in me when I think about spending eternity in heaven.  So what am I afraid of?

I look a ways down in Paul's epistle.  Philippians 4:11-13: "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Welp, there ya have it.