Seven-Day Practical Faith Blog: Red Balloons and Green Balloons

Faith and fear cannot co-exist. Yet while we claim to be faithful, we cling to our fears, worries, and anxieties. It's hard to experience peaceful faith as a result.

Paul gives us a two-part formula to address this problem in Philippians 4:6-9 (NIV). First, in verses 6-7, Paul teaches:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul doesn't promise our concerns will be addressed to our satisfaction, but he does promise we'll receive God's peace over circumstances. Then in verses 8-9, Paul gives the second part of the formula:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

When we empty our minds of worry, we must fill them with something else, or else new worries will occupy them. Paul explains thinking of higher qualities will also give us peace. We'll receive both the peace of God and the God of peace.

What's a tangible way to do this? For some time now, I have worked on the first part of the formula. I find if I give up each worry individually to God, I review them, I pull them back, I fret over them some more. It's easier to release them all, just like letting go of balloons into the sky and not being able to retrieve them.

So, my image of my worries is a cluster of red balloons. At the end of the day, I let go all of my red balloons to God's care and attention.

Lately, I've been addressing the second part of the formula by imagining that God takes my red balloons and hands me green balloons - balloons filled with truth, noble actions, righteousness, purity, loveliness, and excellence. The idea is to occupy my mind with the positive, with beauty, with goodness, seeing the world differently through a green balloon filter. I'm not wearing rose-colored glasses that block out pain but seeing light and how the darkness has not overcome it.

I realize this is all a mind trick, but it's a scripturally based trick. Try releasing your red balloons and accepting the green balloons God has for you. Observe how this practice leads you to God's peace, rest, and perspective.

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