Prayer Relieves Anxiety

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God...."
Philippians 4:6

This week has caused a tremendous amount of stress for so many people. However, as we served people in our food pantry yesterday, you could almost see some of that stress dissipate as they realized food would not be something they would need to worry about for at least a week, if not longer.

A friend and I connected in the morning, and knowing some of the issues he's been dealing with, I asked if we could have a prayer together and watched some of the stress leave.

Another friend experienced a medical situation, then prayer, and got to the doctor very quickly for treatment and a plan to heal. As a result, her stress went away as she was able to sleep a large portion of the day.

All of these people and hundreds more have a deep faith journey and belief in a provider God Who cares for them. The gratitude they show carries a pay-it-forward momentum and transforms lives.

But sometimes, all of us need to back up, breathe, pray and thank God for what we have and place our needs in His hands and control. Then we can appreciate the results of our prayers because we've been released from carrying the burden alone.

It's time to give it up and feel the lightness of our spirits!

Praying for travelers...

Pastor Lou Strugala
NJSP Chaplain