give it to Him.

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

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

I was listening to a podcast the other day and was made aware that 80% of our thoughts are negative. and 90% of our thoughts are recurring. I bet if you sit in silence for about 2 minutes it won’t take long for you to realize this to be true.

I myself, like many others, are constantly navigating negative thoughts that come, especially the ones in the form of fears. those fears can handicap us into being anxious, and more so lead us to operate outside of our true identity.

the enemy desires to steal, kill and destroy. we all know that, or have heard it. he wants to do two things; deceive and accuse. when the enemy is successful at this in our lives then we begin to believe lies about ourselves and become separated from God.

theres only two worldviews we can operate out of; Separated or Connected. we can't be both at the same time.

when we are separated from God we live in scarcity, believing we don’t have enough, or aren’t enough. we also believe we need to be in control, or try our best to regain control. that leads us to feel a need to be perfect and strive for perfection in all we do. and finally that culminates in an outward embodiment of selfishness.

being self focused is a root of self preservation. we want everything the world can offer us because we’ve believed the enemies lies that we won’t be satisfied or at peace until we get them. always chasing that next promotion, that next check, car, relationship, home, or like on our posts.

the real issue is separation. when we are separated we aren’t operating in our true identity. how do we discover that? by being connected to the King.

when we are connected we know we are enough, to God and others, because we experience it from Him through the Holy Spirit. and then instead of desiring control, we can operate out of trust and faith in God knowing that the mystery of each day will be filled with His goodness and peace. what flows from that is a surrendering of the results of life. there’s no failure, it’s only a part of your story and process. we grow and we mature, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. and lastly from that flows a river of selflessness that is others focused and Kingdom oriented.

we know the tension we feel as Christian’s when we are back and forth between these worldviews. the spirit convicts us, the world entices us, the identity may be shaken, but our Father in Heaven is always near.

so near in fact that when we do come to Him, presenting our current fears, anxieties, and lies that we so easily believe from the enemy, He is faithful to provide us a peace that transforms all understanding! in my experience of this, I’ve seen God show up daily with a desire to exchange the lies and fears, that often arise with the sun, for His truth and peace that are everlasting.

how do I do this? what’s my process?

take 10 minutes today and find a place to sit in silence with the King (seriously, do it).

then I want you to pay attention to what arises in your mind. something that you may be anxious about. a situation you may be trying to control. an area in your life where you feel a desire to perform to earn someone’s approval or love. a season when you’ve been self focused instead of others focused.

I want you then to attach that to a memory. sit with it and see what memory comes. recall the setting and the people present.

now I want you to see where Jesus is in that setting. where is He, what is His expression, what is He doing?

I want you now to think of that burden that you’re currently feeling. what object does that burden take on? it can be anything that comes to mind.

(Trust your imagination and know that Jesus is guiding your mind through this.)

I want you now to hand that object to Jesus, and see what He does with that object.

now, Jesus wants to give you something in return. fix your eyes on Him and see what He gives you!

this is a beautiful exchange, something to be treasured and kept. something that is in line with your identity and what He desires for you!

lastly, Jesus has a name He wants to call you. ask Him what He calls you!

this can be hard, it can be emotional, it can be silent and challenging. It can be a beautiful surrender if you let it be!

this is a practice, a daily practice for me! one that has utterly transformed for my life, the relationships around me and my relationship with the King.

I’ve been called Gods Unbinding Peace-giver. I cherish it because I know when I’m connected to God that’s who I am in my true identity!

He’s called me to help unbind those bound up by the fears and lies they believe, and bring peace to those whose anxieties have held them back from being who God created them to be.

I am only able to do that because He was first able to unbind me and bring me peace!

He desires to do the same for you.

if you need guidance through this process please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

until then,

“God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you!”

-n0tbytyler

you can email Tyler at tylerbeede33@gmail.com.