Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Start with the whole letter
Philippians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Philippi, a city in Macedonia. It is short enough to read in one sitting. Before you dwell on a single verse, read the four chapters once, the way the first listeners would have heard them: from beginning to end.
Notice where the writer is
Early in the letter Paul mentions his chains (Philippians 1:12–14). He is writing while held in custody. That detail matters. The invitation in chapter 4 not to be anxious, but to bring every request to God with thanksgiving, is not written from a comfortable distance. It comes from someone whose own future was uncertain.
Read the verses around it
Chapter 4 also speaks of rejoicing, gentleness and the nearness of the Lord, and it goes on to describe the kind of things worth thinking about. Read verses 4 to 9 together. The promise of peace that guards the heart and mind sits inside a larger picture of a community learning to pray, to think and to live together.
Carry one question into your day
Context does not make a verse less personal; it makes it more honest. After reading, ask yourself one question: what would it look like to bring today's concern to God in prayer, with thanks, the way Paul describes? Write it down and return to it tonight.
Keep reading
You can read more passages on peace in the reading room, or open Psalm 23 for another text many people pray when they are worried.