In today’s spiritual warfare, there are many things the world, the flesh, and the devil can despair us with in order to try and drag us down in gloom, depression, and anguish. St. Paul, certainly no stranger to spiritual warfare in his day, encourages us to combat any anxiety we may experience with God’s peace. We find God’s peace in Christ through our prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings to Him.
St. Paul provides us encouragement about prayer in his letter to the Philippians:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
What is St. Paul saying?
St. Paul is saying that if you are suffering from anxiety, fear, or any apprehensions, call on God in prayer and petition, and give God thanks for all of the graces and blessings He has given you. The apostle’s instruction is especially effective with any problems you may be currently experiencing in your life. If you go through life’s battles with the Lord Jesus, His peace will help get you through it, no matter what it is.
Spiritual Protection in Prayer
There is a greater degree of spiritual protection we receive from God when we consistently pray to Him about any problems we are experiencing in life. And that protection might make all the difference in us sleeping soundly at night, and also experiencing the peace that comes from Christ when we pray to Him during the day.
“Paul insists that if we pray about our problems rather than worry about them, God will post a guard around our minds to protect us from the doubts and disturbances that weaken our confidence in His fatherly care.” Source: Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament
Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which seems appropriate in the month of “the big June sun.” As the Son shines brightly in our hearts, let us consistently pray to Jesus and give thanks for all we have been given.
The importance of prayer and gratitude are especially important for Catholic families.
“Try to gather together more frequently to give thanks to God and to praise Him. For when you come together frequently, Satan’s powers are undermined, and the destruction that he threatens is done away with in the unanimity of your faith.” – St. Ignatius of Antioch
In regards to how God answers our prayers, here is a quote from one of the mostly highly trained Catholic spiritual warfare experts in the world, Kyle Clement:
“God doesn’t give us what we want. God gives us what we need.” – Kyle Clement
If I remember correctly, Kyle went on to say in his lecture that everything that happens in our lives providentially by God is directed towards our salvation. Let us stop and give thanks to God for all the blessings and graces we have been given in our lives.
Give Thanks to God
“It is comforting to know that the Lord is at hand…. Here is a medicine to relieve grief and every bad circumstance and every pain. What is it? To pray and to give thanks in everything. He does not wish that a prayer be merely a petition but a thanksgiving for what we have received…How can one make petitions for the future without a thankful acknowledgment of past things? … So one ought to give thanks for everything, even what seems grievous. That is the mark of one who is truly thankful. Grief comes out of the circumstances with their demands. Thanksgiving comes from a soul that has true insight and a strong affection for God.” – St. John Chrysostom
St. Paul also mentions that the Good Lord is always at hand in our lives.
Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5
Recap
We should find spiritual peace in Christ if we consistently pray to Him for our needs. As the Church Father St. John Chrysostom says, let us have sincere gratitude in our hearts for everything that has been given to us by God in accord with His providence.
Cast Your Worries Upon God
Cast your care upon the LORD, who will give you support. He will never allow the righteous to stumble. Psalms 55:23
Cast all your worries upon Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Give Thanks to God
Give thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:20
In word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17
Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 7:12
| CCC | Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1078 | Blessing | Adoration and surrender to the Creator in thanksgiving… |
| 2098 | Prayer | Prayer of praise and thanksgiving, intercession and petition… |
| 2638 | Petition | Every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving… |
| 2648 | Joy / Suffering | Every event and need can become the matter for thanksgiving… |
A Disciple’s Dependence on God
Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds! Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides. Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Luke 12:22-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. Matthew 6:25-35
