Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
Have you ever had a really good laugh when you’re going through a stressful time? You feel a lot better after, don’t you? Philippians 4:4–9 talks about this Biblical response to stress. Verse 4 starts out by saying, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
Expressing joy is a great way to destress. It’s healthy no matter how you do it—praising and thanking God, laughing with your best friend, giggling with your kids or playing a practical joke on your spouse. Studies support the physical benefits of laughter, and it’s something that doctors agree we need to do every day.
“Don’t worry about anything” (v. 6), but it also describes what to do instead. It says to present every request to God with thanksgiving. You can cast your worries on God, trusting Him to take care of them. Then, you’ll experience God’s incredible peace, which guards your heart and mind (v.7).But after you’ve entrusted your worries to God, there is one more thing to do. Verse 8 instructs you to watch what you think about from that point on.
If you cast your care on God but then continue to focus on the worst-case scenario, you’re not going to have peace. Instead, choose to focus on the positive. This portion of scripture is like gold when it comes to dealing with stress. Rejoice—have a good belly laugh. Present your requests to God. Trust Him to come through. Be thankful for His amazing love, care and power in your life. Then guard your thoughts carefully so you stay focused on the positive.