When I was a kid, we had all sorts of catchphrases.
“No duh.”
“Whatever.”
“Wasssupppp.”
“That’s da bomb.”
“Don’t pick up the phone, Mom! I’m on the internet!”
Of all those phrases from that era, one of my favorites was “no take backs.” When you gave someone something and you didn’t want them to find a problem with it and try to return it, you would hand it to them and then say “no take backs.” For instance, if you knew a bottle of soda had rolled around in the back of your van, you would hand that particular one to your little brother and quickly say “no take backs!”
This phrase (and a related wave of nostalgia) rolled over me when I was thinking about what the Bible says about peace. This month, our Worship Now theme is the Prince of Peace. One of the most famous verses in the Bible about peace is Philippians 4:6-7. In this passage, Paul helps a group of people in adversity take their next step towards peace.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
When I think about Philippians 4:6-7, I think about an exchange. I take my worries and needs to God by praying about them and thanking Him for all He has already done. In exchange for taking those to God, I experience God’s peace which protects my heart and mind from future worries and anxiety.
It’s a beautiful picture - kind of like that special vacation photo we often turn into a wallpaper for our computer or phone. But here’s the struggle. A lot of us still struggle with worries, concerns, and even anxiety.
I know about that last one from personal experience. I had my first panic attack in the summer of 2016. Those attacks became a nightly occurrence for several weeks. In 2019, I had another one. In 2021, I went to the emergency room thinking I was having heart issues only to discover it was anxiety. I know about stress, worry, anxiety, and concern firsthand.
One of the reasons is what happens after I go through that exchange described in Philippians 4. I give God my worries and concerns and then I experience God’s peace. But, then I take those things back and begin worrying about them again. I became anxious again. The peace disappears into thin air.
It’s like I’m a kid again and I’m saying “God, here you can have my worries and concerns. Thank you for peace. Oh, and since you didn’t say ‘no take backs,’ I’ll just pick those worries and concerns back up and see you later. Thanks.”
Have you ever done that before? Given something to God only to take it back later?
Why do we do this?!
I don’t know the motivations and content of your heart, but I am becoming more aware of mine. I’m not proud to share what I’ve discovered, but I have found that most of the time when I take something back that I gave God, I do so because I didn’t trust God fully.
Just typing those words is painful, but no one ever said confession was easy. When I take back something I’ve given to God, I do it because I’m not sure He will do with it what I want Him to do.
If you struggle in a similar way, you need the reminder I turn to in Scripture. It’s a reminder I’ve memorized - not as a result of intentional practice, but because of repeated use.
1 Peter 5:7 tells us:
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” - 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
Those last five words hold the key - “for He cares about you.” We need to remember God cares about us when we’re doubting what He will do. We need to remember God cares about us when we’re tempted to take back control that we have already surrendered. We need to remember God cares about us when we think “well, I didn’t say no takebacks…”
Friends, we need to take our worries and cares to God, give them to Him, and not take them back. We can do this because of God’s character. He not only does good - God is good. It’s not a choice He makes; goodness is who God is. In his song, "Good," Cody Carnes sings about the thread of God’s goodness in our lives.
In our prayers, we all have phrases we use consistently. What if you added a phrase to your prayers? When you pray and surrender something to God, what if you added “And God, no take backs?” Sure, it might seem cheesy and even a bit silly. But, what if that phrase became a reminder for your mind and a discipline for your heart that you can trust God’s goodness and hold onto the peace He’s given you, instead of reaching back for the cares you’ve left behind?
Seems like a “no duh” option to me!
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He loves helping hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
