What to Do With the Craving

Paul tells the Philippians not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to let their requests be made known to God, and he promises that the peace of God will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Temptation often rides in on anxiety. A hard day, a lonely evening, a restlessness you cannot name, and the old craving offers itself as relief. Paul points to a better place to take that inner churning. He says to bring it to God in the moment, plainly, as a request rather than a performance. Notice that he expects this to become a guard around the heart, the very thing a struggling man most needs when the pull is strong.

The next time the craving rises, before you do anything else, turn it into words and hand it to God. Tell him you are anxious, tell him what you want to do and that you do not want to want it, and ask for the peace he promised. The urge may not vanish at once, but you will have moved the battle onto ground where he has promised to stand guard with you.