“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”—Colossians 3:15 (NLT)

There is a saying, “Have you prayed about this as much as you have talked about it?” It’s easier to gripe and complain about something to whoever will listen, but God wants you to go to Him first. Having a friend that can hold you accountable in this area is what helps the most. They will call you out on your “venting.” You need someone that will tell you,“You say you have prayed about this and given it to God, but you keep talking about it. I don’t think you have really released this to Him.”

Sometimes you may be called to be that person to your aging parent. I have to be honest, I am not always patient with my mother. She is having a hard time lowering her blood pressure. Her worrying about it is making it worse. I can't say that I have been displaying the most gentle spirit with her about it. I finally went to the doctor with her this past week to make sure that there might not be some underlying condition causing it. When she was in a calm state, her blood pressure at his office was normal. This confirmed that her anxious thoughts about it were elevating it. The advice I gave her is what I did to help me with my anxiety when I was obsessing over a “what if” situation. 

Whenever I would start to have those anxious thoughts, I would replace them with a thanksgiving. I would say, “Thank You God, that I am healthy. Thank You God, that I have a roof over my head, Thank You God, that I have running water…” I would keep thanking God for all I had. It took the focus off of my pessimistic attitude and directed me to the only One that could save me from the downward spiral of negative thinking. It especially helps if I do this as I am knitting. Don't get me wrong, I would and do still slip into negative thought patterns when I can't totally release something to God. 

I heard a sermon in church this past week where the pastor said, “When people tell me I don’t know how to meditate on God’s Word, I ask them if they know how to worry, because worry is a form of meditation.” He is so right. When you have that worrisome thought, go read your favorite devotion or open your Bible. Learn how to turn your anxious thoughts to God’s promises to you. Let the peace from Christ rule in your heart this week.

Dear Lord,

I pray for those that may be dealing with anxiety. I ask that they learn the coping skills to take the focus off of their perceived problem and turn over their negative thoughts and feelings to You. If they don’t have someone to hold them accountable in this area of their life, I ask that You provide a friend or family member that can remind them of Your faithfulness. Lord, I thank You that I have Your Word to calm my anxious thoughts and I praise You for Your steadfast love for me. I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Continue to memorize“Search the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him ”—1 Chronicles 16:11.

If you are making any gifts to give away this month, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit Pray Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtags #ThreadsWithRed #KnitPrayShare. Make sure you attach a gift tag to whatever gift you make and let the person know that they made a difference in your day.