For Joy to Replace Anxiety
Loving Father,
When we rejoice in you with prayers of praise and thanks, diminish and remove the anxiety from our hearts. When we do not focus our minds or direct our thoughts toward reasons to rejoice, worry and concern love to take up residence within us. Until they are replaced with rejoicing, they will find more and more reasons to be anxious. Let your Spirit equip us with the self-discipline to prioritize counting our blessings. As we do, fill our hearts with gratitude and joy, leaving no room for anxiety to dwell. Give us the faith of Paul, who, as you enabled him, could find reasons to rejoice even in the most dire circumstances.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.