⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned^[a] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Psychology is but a mere peace of the puzzle. Before we had the APA (American Psychiatric Association) the DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual), before blogs and pop culture; there was the Bible (still here today and accessible).

As a counselor for over 16 years I can only attest to this scripture is the ultimate mic drop and here’s why. It’s a strategic, it’s a battle plan, it’s intelligent, it’s truth, it’s fact, it’s wisdom. It’s not trying to impress anyone. It’s not charging $220 an hour. It’s available 24/7, it’s free, it’s for you, right here, right now.

“Don’t worry about anything.” Don’t do it friend. Why? Because worry is a negative form of meditation. I mean, if you’re going to meditate anyway, then at least let it be your mind isn’t troubled right? If it’s out of your hands, stop white knuckling it, my dear. If it’s in the past stop trying to give it mouth to mouth recitation. We can’t resurrect the dead things anyway, it’s okay to give yourself the permission to let that noise go. Why worry about it? Even Bob Marley said not to. The Bible actually says not to worry 356 times. What will it do? What will you gain?

Instead.

“Pray about everything.” Even AA talks about a higher power, self help gurus profess relying on “source” whoever that is and honestly there is the ultimate humility flex to say that instead of worrying and ruining my day, Lord I’m going to pray to you. Why? Because it’s surrender. It’s not about ego. It’s not about control. It’s a chance to let go of that weight. To set that burden down. Who told us we had to have it altogether anyway? If we don’t we lie to ourselves and crack the invisible whip behind us. To pray is to save yourself. I choose not to meditate on that with which is beyond my control. It is humility at its finest. I can’t solve this but I believe You Lord, You can.

“Tell God what you need.” Let it all it. No need to say pretty words or try to put on a front. Just say it. Tell him. Be honest.

“Thank Him for all He has done.” Why? This gets your mind off you, off your struggles, off of comparisons, off of disappointment, off of the past. “Attitude if gratitude” may sound cliched but honestly you start focusing on all that you have rather than what you don’t, things change.

“…then you will experience God’s peace.”

don’t worry

pray

tell Him what you need

thank Him

and then… peace. Oh what bliss. To have that peace that surpasses all understanding. These are tactical, practical, real and tangible steps to follow.

“then you will experience His peace, which exceeds everything that we understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds, as you live in Christ Jesus.”

and then

“Fix your thoughts on:

Whatever is: true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, worthy of praise, keep putting into practice what you have learned, then the God of peace will be with you.”

That list is listed for a reason.

We have all the thinking traps, all the reasons to dwell on the negative, to have a defeatist, mentality. It’s easy to be negative. But if you fix your mind on that list, what do you gain? It’s not false positivity. It’s a choice with intentionality, to train your brain, often to retrain your brain;

It’s the most punk rock thing we could ever do, to stop operating how the world “can’t even” to the “I literally don’t even care-uh.” It is the most adult and healthy thing to do. To acknowledge where we come from but to know that’s not where we are headed and to train our mind how to be healthy, to be strong, to do what is upright.

What will worry do? It won’t pay your bills. Fix your life or heal you.

There is an alternative.