1. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

More than likely, you thought of situations such as the following: “trusting in God to overcome worry in a financial crisis,” “dealing with a loved one’s impending death,” “facing final exams,” “giving your first sermon series,” “doing beach evangelism on a summer missions project.” What do these answers have in common? They are all situations that can provoke anxiety or worry, right? The passage appears to speak about how to handle worry so, naturally, anxiety-producing situations come to mind as places for potential application.

2. The Story of Joseph (Genesis 37)

Perhaps situations like these came to mind: “how to respond in a godly way when fired unjustly from your job,” “persevering in hope when facing persecution from non- Christians,” “maintaining a perspective that God is working out his purposes even in a series of setbacks, like the ending of a two-year relationship or a pay cut at work.” The way you answered this question depends on what you think the story of Joseph is about and how much you used Joseph’s experience and character in your application.